Black Owned Media Alliance
has tapped Hiram E. Jackson,
publisher of the Michigan
Chronicle, and Chief Executive
Officer of Real Times Media,
to deliver the keynote at the
3rd Annual Get to Know Black
Media: A Symposium on Effective Strategies for Advertising,
Digital and Social Media Marketing. On Sept.14, symposium
attendees will convene at the
Adrienne Arsht Center for the
Performing Arts of Miami-Dade
County – Carnival Studio Theater located in Miami for the
pestigious event.
The focus of the symposium
has expanded to embrace the
foundational aspects of Black
media from coverage to advertisement. This premise will be
the essence of the luncheon
with key-note speaker Hiram
Jackson.
“It's with a great
deal of pleasure to have Hiram
Jackson, the CEO of Real Time
Media, as our key note speaker,” explained Dexter Bridgeman, BOMA President. “Real
Time Media is the country's
largest conglomerate of Blackown media, with notable entities such as the legendary
Chicago Defender and the historical
Pittsburgh
Courier.
They continue to be relevant
and prospering under the leadership and direction of Hiram
Jackson."
Tyrone Manning, Marketing Director for the Adrienne
Arsht Center, has been feverously working with BOMA to
bring the event to life. “As a
convener for our community’s
most important events, the
Arsht Center is proud to welcome the Black Owned Media
Alliance and their guests. We
look forward to the thoughtful
discussion that Dexter Bridgeman and the various business
leaders and members of BOMA
will engender through this very
special business and community event.”
The symposium has evolved
from a one panel discussion to
this year’s day-long, five-panel discussion. Last year, the
symposium’s main focus was
to provide statistics to educate
the mostly advertising executive audience on the spending
power of African Americans in
hopes of educating their clients. Since 2015, the symposium has enlightened advertisers and agencies on African
American consumption habits.
Past attendees have been The
Wow Factor, RBB, Sonshine

By Alisha Dixon
Tuseday, Chris Ilitch, president and
CEO of Ilitch Holdings, Gov. Rick Snyder,
Mayor Mike Duggan and other officials
held a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark
the official grand opening of the new Little
Caesar’s Arena.
“This is such an important moment
for our community, our organization and
thousands of people who have put their
hearts, hands and souls into this project.
Developments like Little Caesar’s Arena
and the District Detroit are rare, perhaps,
once in a lifetime. When they are done
well and when they are done right, they
can create incredible pride and change
lives across our community. We believe
we have created something truly spectacular for the people of our city, our region,
and our state. Little Caesar’s Arena and
the District Detroit are transforming our
city’s landscape in positive ways. More
importantly, they are positively transforming lives,” Ilitch said emphatically to
the large crowd.
“I’m incredibly excited and driven to
build upon my parents’ vision even further
by continuing to develop the District Detroit. Opening the doors to Little Caesar’s
Arena today is a massive accomplishment. And yet, we’ve only scratched the
surface of what’s possible in this 50-plusblock development… Done? We’re just
getting started!”
With the opening of LCA, all eyes are
on Detroit as the city becomes the first in
the country to have all four sports teams,

Chris Illitch with Detroit City Councilmebers Janee Ayers, Gabe Leland, Council president Brenda Jones, Mayor Mike Duggan and Scott Benson
and soon, maybe a fifth, in walking distance within the city’s growing entertainment district, the District Detroit. LCA
promises to bring a different kind of entertainment experience. From having the
largest scoreboard in the NHL to an outdoor plaza that can accommodate up to
4,000 fans where even sold out games can
be viewed on a large LED screen. While
the arena alone is an impressive fete, development in the 50-plus-block District

“More than 60 retail concepts are in
discussion and planning with a mix of
national, local, minority-owned business-

See NEW

ARENA page A4

Detroit’s own Kevin Ryan to lead
Ford Foundation efforts to
revitalize hometown

WHAT’S INSIDE

By Keith A. Owens
Senior Editor

One way or another, Kevin Ryan has
had it on his mind ever since his college
days at the University of Michigan that
he was going to make a difference for his
hometown of Detroit. A big difference.

Best in Black:
Tommey Walker,
Detroit Vs
Everybody

Today, approximately one month after
beginning his tenure as director of the
Ford Foundation’s Detroit office – the
first time the organization has had an
office in the city since 1953 – Ryan is already swimming in the deep end of the
pool as he begins designing strategies
for how the foundation can best utilize
its massive resources to assist Detroit in
being a comeback city for all of its citizens, not just a privileged few.

See Page D1

“How can we contribute to that kind
of Detroit that we want to envision and
that we want to see. That inclusive Detroit where everybody is supported and
everybody has opportunity, whether it’s
work or education,” he said.

$1.00

Detroit promises to have a positive economic impact on the city and the region
with residential units (20% affordable),
retail and office space and diverse food
and restaurant options, all within blocks
of LCA, Ford Field and Comerica Park.

Kevin Ryan – Keith A. Owens photo

Currently Ryan is in the process of
meeting with as many community groups
as possible “to really hear from them

about where is Detroit now, where do
they see Detroit going, and how can Ford
help to support an inclusive and accessible recovery, and not just recovery but
help people thrive in the city of Detroit.
“To me what success would look
like in a year is we at Ford would have
a deeper knowledge and understanding
of the relationships and networks and
activity that exists here in Detroit that’s
aimed at creating this new vision for Detroit. And that our grant making reflects
these values around inclusiveness and
around accessibility.”
Born and raised in Detroit, Ryan said
his family lived in several different locations around the city, including near
6 Mile and Fenmore “right near the
Southfield Freeway,” and also 7 Mile and
Schaeffer, before his family decided to
relocate to Southfield when Ryan was 11
years old. The move was mostly for educational reasons, but there were other
reasons as well.
Specifically, Ryan’s parents found out
that Southfield “was an intentionally integrated community, which was one of

See RYAN page A-4

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

September 6-12, 2017

Page A-2

Oak Park: Blake Farms offers $1 per
bushel to Forgotten Harvest for Hunger
Blake Farms recently announced,
as part of its longstanding partnership
with Oak Park-based food rescue organization Forgotten Harvest, that it will
donate $1 per every bushel picked by
guests to Forgotten Harvest the entire
month of September in support of Hunger Action Month.

“Community partners like the Blake
family are vital to the sustainability of
our mission,” stated Forgotten Harvest

“We look forward to our community
coming together to help those who are
less fortunate – to come out here, bring
the family, buy apples and we’ll donate
$1 for every bushel. It’s that easy,” said
Paul Blake, co-owner of Blake Farms.

Blake Farms has three locations, including:

Four years ago, the Blake family
started the Forgotten Harvest Orchard
of Hope program by donating two acres
of land at its Big Apple

Michigan Historic Preservation
Network loans awarded to three
rehabilitation projects
In July, 2017, the
Michigan Historic Preservation Network awarded
its first three predevelopment loans to assist three
historic building rehabilitation projects in Michigan: Thompson Block
in Ypsilanti, 1108 Water
Street in Bay City, and
Casa Del Ray Apartments
in Pontiac.
Predevelopment funds
are often the most critical for a project. MHPN’s
loan fund covers reasonable third-party costs that
are necessary in getting
a historic project going,
such as architectural and
consultant costs, feasibility studies, marketing
studies, and acquisition.
“The goal of MHPN’s
predevelopment loan is to
help make projects happen,” said Nancy Finegood, Executive Director
of MHPN. “The predevelopment money is usually
the riskiest, so it is difficult to get from commercial lenders, but critical
to making the project a
reality. MHPN’s program
allows us to fill this gap
and help get the projects
started.”
The Thompson Block
is located at the corner
of N. River Street and E.
Cross Street with two
street-facing façades. It
suffered a significant fire
in 2009 and a partial collapse in 2015. “The rehabilitation of Thompson
Block will be transformational to Depot Town in
Ypsilanti. The Thompson

Block is the oldest commercial structure in town.
The residents and local
businesses have had to
endure this sad structure
for too long. We want to
bring it back to its glory,”
said Jon Carlson, developer of Thompson Block
and 1108 Water Street.
“The restaurant scene
is growing and vibrant in
Ypsilanti. Lofts are being rented immediately,
as they come to market.
With this loan program,
MHPN is kick-starting
these historic projects
and encouraging downtown revitalization.”
John Hambrick, Casa
Del Ray Apartments project consultant, said “The
redevelopment of Casa
Del Ray Apartments will
rehabilitate the only vacant structure in the area.
The project will provide
needed quality, affordable
housing for seniors in
the Pontiac area, helping
to create an even more
vibrant community. The
MHPN
predevelopment
loan is helping us on the
path to accomplish these
goals.”
The MHPN Predevelopment Loan Fund provides
financial support for projects rehabilitating historic buildings in Michigan.
The loan fund covers reasonable costs that occur
in the early stages of development planning and
are essential to making
the project happen.
Another loan program
that MHPN offers is the

Proposed County Commission
Pension Plan Initiative unveiled
A plan to more rapidly
reduce the county retirement system’s unfunded
liability was introduced
today by Wayne County
Commission
Chairman
Gary Woronchak and
Commission Fiscal Director Mark Abbo.
In a presentation before the Commission’s
Ways & Means Committee, Abbo, who developed
the Commission Pension
Plan Initiative, said the
proposal could result in
up to $50 million in additional contributions to
the pension system beyond the legally required
annual required contribution (ARC). The required
contribution is about
$55 million for fiscal year
2017-18.
Woronchak,
D-Dearborn, observed that “it
is crucial for the county
to substantially increase
and accelerate the funding of the retirement
system, which currently
is only 54 percent funded. This proposal would
not only contribute to
the county’s continuing
financial recovery, but
would keep faith with
the county’s retirees by
making the pension fund
more secure.”
As described by Abbo,
by voluntary agreement
with the Wayne County
Employees’ Retirement
System (WCERS), the
county would utilize a
portion of the county’s
pooled cash reserves to
fund an additional contribution in an amount to be
determined. The county

would retain the flexibility to use the additional
payment as a credit to
reduce the ARC in future
years, if financial necessity requires it.
“In addition to the
principal amount of the
additional
contribution, investment of that
amount would earn the
retirement system’s rate
of return, which has been
about 9.5 percent over the
past five years, instead of
at the limited rate earned
on the county’s pooled
cash funds,” Abbo said.
“To illustrate, a $50
million additional payment yielding even 7.25
percent instead of the
less than 1 percent historically returned by the
pooled cash investment,
could earn $3,625,000 per
year with WCERS, versus
only $405,000 if left with
the pooled cash fund.”
Commission Chairman
Woronchak emphasized
that additional negotiations with the County
Executive Warren Evans’ administration and
WCERS would be necessary on a number of plan
elements, including the
amount of the additional payment, the maximum years a credit could
be taken against future
ARCs, the determination
of financial necessity by
the administration as
approved by the County
Commission triggering a
credit, and the fixing of a
straight-line amortization
period during the period
of credit.

Orchard to Forgotten Harvest. 500 apple trees were planted and are harvested
each fall – this season, Blake’s expects
50,000 pounds to be picked. These
fresh, nutritious apples are then distributed free-of-charge to over 250 agency
partners in metro Detroit.
“The Orchard of Hope is a reminder
for us that there are less fortunate people out there that don’t have the same
access to healthy foods like we do,”
said Blake Farms co-owner Pete Blake.
“It’s humbling for us to be able to share
something we are so passionate about
while helping our community.”

CEO Kirk Mayes. “We are so gratified
to know that the one in four metro Detroit kids who face hunger will be able
to celebrate the fall with fresh healthy
apples.”

Intervention Loan program which provides low
interest loans for stabilization and emergency
repairs to historic buildings.
According to Finegood,
“MHPN looks forward to
supporting comprehensive efforts to rehabilitate
more historic buildings in
Michigan.”
MHPN, founded in
1981, is the largest membership organization in
the state dedicated to
recognizing and preserving Michigan’s rich cultural and architectural
heritage. The network
advocates for Michigan’s
historic sites to contribute to the state’s economic vitality, sense of
place, and connection to
the past. This is accomplished through education, outreach, and advocacy assistance to local
residents and business
owners, preservation organizations, policymakers, and elected officials
throughout the state.

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example. DTE worked with him to make some
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installing a programmable thermostat, sink
aerators, LED lights and a pre-rinse spray
valve in the kitchen saved John around 10%
a month on his energy bill.
If you’d like to manage energy use to
save money at your business,
visit dteenergy.com/savenow.

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
September 6-12, 2017 Page A-3
news
Former Mexico president Vicente Fox is featured speaker at WSU FOCIS 10th anniversary
Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico, will be the
keynote speaker for the Forum on Contemporary Issues
in Society’s (FOCIS) 10th anniversary lecture series “What in
the World is Going On?” kickoff event at 6:30 p.m. Monday,
Sept. 18. He will discuss “Immigration: The Wall, Trade, Jobs
and Deportation,” followed by a
question-and-answer period.
The speech and Q&A session are open to the public. Admission is free but reservations
are required. Doors will open at
6 p.m.

Vicente Fox

Fox grew up in Guanajuato,
Mexico and still recalls from
his childhood that one of the

greatest harms a nation can
avoid is poverty. He studied
business administration at the
Universidad
Iberoamericana
and received a top management
diploma from the Harvard Business School. In 1964, he joined
the Coca-Cola Company in Mexico, eventually becoming president of the company for Mexico and Latin America. He was
elected president of Mexico in
2000, serving through 2006. He
now encourages leadership and
creates opportunities for less
fortunate people through his
organization, Centro Fox.
Fox has been critical of what
he feels is an overly restrictive
U.S. immigration policy and

has maintained his opposition
to U.S intervention in Iraq. He
points to the fact that the United States was founded as an
open society that welcomed immigrants who helped build the
country.
In 2008, more than 1,000
people packed Wayne State’s
Community Arts Auditorium
and McGregor Memorial Conference Center to hear Fox discuss issues on globalization
and immigration. Fox was the
third guest speaker — and the
first former head of state — in
the university’s acclaimed FOCIS lecture series.
“We are privileged to have
former Mexico President Vicen-

te Fox as our special keynote
speaker,” said Irvin D. Reid, director of FOCIS and inaugural
holder of Wayne State’s Eugene
Applebaum Chair in Community Engagement. “During our
10th year, as we recognize and
celebrate a decade of providing
insightful programming for the
community through FOCIS, it
is fitting that Fox will grace the
lectern once again, offering an
intellectual and thought-provoking talk on such a relevant
topic.”
The lecture will be held at
Wayne State’s Community Arts
Auditorium, 450 Reuther Mall,
Detroit.

$4.2 million grant helps
health care in underserved areas

The Michigan Area Health Education Center, a
program of Wayne State University that seeks to
increase access to quality primary care providers
in underserved communities, has been awarded a
five-year, $4.2 million grant from the U.S. Health
Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Michigan AHEC will use the funds to continue to
strengthen its statewide network of five regional
centers and support HRSA’s mission to improve
health and achieve health equity through access
to quality services, a skilled health workforce and
innovative programs. By enabling Michigan AHEC
to provide clinical experiences and continuing education programs for health care professionals and
support practice transformation in primary care urban and rural underserved communities, this grant
reinforces Michigan AHEC’s alignment with Wayne
State University’s mission and values of community engagement, diversity and inclusion and commitment to excellence.

Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences and
associate dean for graduate medical education in
the Wayne State University School of Medicine.
“This grant will allow us to build upon our efforts
to improve access to health care in underserved
areas and help us to positively impact the current
and future health care workforce throughout Michigan.”

“This award is great news for the future of
healthcare in Michigan,” said Dr. Tsveti Markova,
co-principal investigator of Michigan AHEC, endowed chair and professor in the Department of

Michigan AHEC also announced the recent selection of Covenant Community Care as its new
host partner for its Southeast Regional Center.
Covenant Community Care, Inc. is a faith-based

“Having been with the program since its inception in 2010, I am pleased that HRSA sees the value
of our interprofessional leadership and program
model,” said Dr. Ramona Benkert, co-principal investigator of Michigan AHEC, associate professor
and associate dean of academic and clinical affairs
in the Wayne State University College of Nursing.
“These additional five years of funding help us to
continue our statewide efforts to enhance the distribution and diversity of the health care workforce
and to support practice transformation in underserved communities.”

charitable non-profit Community Health Center
serving the people of Metro Detroit. As a Federally
Qualified Health Center, they offer integrated medical, dental and behavioral health care to approximately 20,000 people per year in six clinical sites
in the Detroit area. The Michigan AHEC Southeast
Regional Center serves nine counties in southeast
Michigan: Genesee, Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb,
Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne.
“Our community health center is committed to
helping young people from Detroit and Southeastern Michigan to develop as health professionals
who are equipped to serve everyone regardless of
income or insurance status,” said Paul Propson,
chief executive officer of Covenant Community
Care.
Michigan AHEC is funded by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration and Wayne
State University. Academic partners include Wayne
State University’s College of Nursing, School of
Medicine, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and School of Social Work;
the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry; Central Michigan University; Western Michigan
University; and Northern Michigan University.

QLINE ready for
revenue operations

Michigan Chronicle Reports

QLINE streetcars are now arriving every 15 minutes during
peak service, meeting M-1
RAIL’s goal as revenue operations are set to begin on Sept.
5. “QLINE service is more frequent and more consistent,”
said M-1 RAIL President and
CEO Matt Cullen. “The extended free ride promotion provided
us an opportunity to take all
the great feedback we’ve received from riders and incorporate it into service before we be-

gan collecting fares.” Officials
say service improvement goals
were achieved during the free
ride extension period.
During the two-month extended free ride promotion, the
QLINE reduced wait times between streetcars by 15 percent.
Accuracy of the vehicle arrival
prediction system has also improved, with the QLINE arriving
on-time within two minutes of
its predicted arrival on more
than 65 percent of its trips in
August. Both figures are ex-

pected to continue improving
over the next few months.
In mid-June, M-1 RAIL and
The Kresge Foundation announced an extension of free
QLINE ride service through Labor Day to support ridership
growth and service enhancements to ensure the long-term
success of the system.
M-1 RAIL owns and operates
the QLINE, a 6.6-mile circulating streetcar route serving 12
locations on Woodward Ave.
from downtown Detroit through

Midtown, New Center and the
North End. The QLINE is the
first major transit project led
and funded by private businesses and philanthropic organizations, in partnership with local,
state and federal government.

ners along the corridor and
the public to ensure QLINE is
a safe, reliable and welcoming
streetcar system. We are ready
to begin a new phase of the project on Sept. 5 when M-1 RAIL
begins revenue operations.”

“We were confident that the
QLINE would build on its successful launch and refine operations during the extended free
ride period,” said M-1 RAIL Vice
Chair and Kresge President
and CEO Rip Rapson. “We are
pleased that so many Detroit­
ers took the opportunity to experience the QLINE and believe
that over time, the project’s impact will lead to greater support
for regional transit.”

M-1 RAIL has added streetcar operators, optimized traffic
signals along the route, implemented a new stop policy and
reduced battery charging time
since its launch in May. In
preparation for revenue operations, additional rider resources will be available at QLINE stations and onboard the streetcar
including a more detailed route
map and directions to assist in
the purchase of streetcar tickets. M-1 RAIL ambassadors will
also be circulating at highly
trafficked stations throughout
the route and aboard the streetcar to assist customers from
Sept. 5 to Sept. 17.

More than 500,000 rides
have been taken on the QLINE
since May with daily ridership
averaging over 5,500 passengers during the last month. Ridership is highest on the QLINE
between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Monday-Saturday.
“We appreciate the support
of the Kresge Foundation,” said
M-1 RAIL COO Paul Childs. “It’s
allowed us time to work with
our operations team, our part-

QLINE operates from 6 a.m.
to 11 p.m. Monday through
Thursday, 6 a.m. to midnight
on Friday, 8 a.m. to midnight
on Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to
8 p.m. on Sunday.

news

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

September 6-12, 2017

New arena

Page A-4

From page A-1

es and world-class office
tenants who will establish themselves here. All
of this will add texture,
uniqueness,
diversity,
participation, excitement
and sizzle throughout
downtown,” said Ilitch.
The revitalization of
Detroit and large projects
like LCA have helped to
further uncover the employment disparities that
exist for Detroiters within
the skilled trades. There
simply aren’t enough
qualified skilled trades
professionals in the city
to meet the growing construction demands, but
through LCA and other
District Detroit developments, millions of dollars in revenue has been
generated for the city
while putting Detroiters
to work through construction trades apprenticeship programs and
contracts with Michigan
companies.
“94% of the contracts
awarded have gone to
companies in the state of
Michigan. That’s nearly
$700 million that has
been pumped into our
local economy, nearly,
$475 million for these
contracts. 60% of that
total has been awarded
to companies based in
Detroit. All of those contracts to these Detroit
companies are helping to
power our city’s amazing
and ongoing comeback,”
said the Ilitch Holdings
CEO. “We’ve also been
committed to ensuring
that jobs created by this

Thornetta Davis performs with members of Detroit's Mosaic Youth Theater
contract were filled locally. Residents of our
great city have spent
nearly 600,000 hours
making great wages on
our job sites. That’s the
most hours we could
find worked by Detroiters
on a project in over 40
years. We have welcomed
836 apprentices to our

construction sites to be
trained in new skills they
can use to build their careers and provide for their
families well after the
doors of the Little Caesar’s Arena open today.”
Now, that the arena is
complete, Ilitch is maintaining his commitment
to the community with

the creation of more than
2,000 post-construction
jobs at LCA.
“61% are Detroiters.
I’m so proud of the intention, effort, and results of
our Michigan made, Detroit built business,” said
Ilitch.
Known for hits like
"Cowboy"
and
“Born
Free,” Detroit rocker
Kid Rock is notoriously known for waving the
confederate flag at concerts years ago, his support of Donald Trump and
recent comments about
Colin Kaepernick and the

attacks in Charlottesville.
This makes his September 12 concert, marking
the official opening of
LCA extremely controversial, but even amid
upcoming protests Ilitch
still plans to allow Rock
to perform.
“I think that issue has
been addressed by Olympia Entertainment in the
statement they released.
What I will say further is
that I learned from my
parents, Mike and Mary
Ilitch, to treat every customer, every person the
way you want to be treat-

Ryan
the rare communities that was actually
more welcoming to black people”. Understandably, they wanted their family
to experience an environment that held
out the possibility of being more racially inclusive. Both Ryan and his brother
attended Southfield Senior High School,
which no longer exists. Ryan remembers his father instilling in him a pride
in being not middle class, but working
class.

Police pursuits challenged in
wake of teen death

By Roz Edward
MANAGING EDITOR

Police and members of the public
are voicing significant concern regarding types of crime that warrant aggressive use of force and vehicular pursuit
by police following last week’s tragic
death of 15-year-old Demond Grimes
on Detroit’s eastside. Grimes who was
enjoying the last few days of summer
riding an all terrain vehicle on Detroit
streets was ordered to pull over and stop
the vehicle by a Michigan state trooper
on patrol in the 9th precinct. Operating an ATV on Detroit city streets is
not permitted by law, and could result
in a misdemeanor violation and traffic
fine. But when the spirited teen failed
to comply, the state trooper caught up
with the errant youth near the intersection of Rossini and Gratiot, and tasered
the teen, causing him to crash head on
into a pick-up truck. Grimes died later
a short time later at St. Johns Hospital
after efforts to revive and rescusitate the
youth failed.
Detroit Police Chief James Craig in
responding to the death of the teen,
announced an immediate investigation
into the Aug. 26 incident. “Anytime we
have a situation that involves a death
with another police agency involved, it
warrants an independent investigation,”
Craig said.
Detroit police restrict chases to violent felons, and in some case when
giving chase to fleeing felon presents
harm to the community, DPD may
employ the use of aircraft to continue
pursuit.
“Even in the case of a felony, there
are a lot of factors to consider,” said
Craig
Michigan State police policy allows
troopers to pursue those suspected of
committing misdemeanors or motorist
involved in traffic offenses. Michigan
State police Lt. Mike Shaw said the now
suspended state-trooper chased Grimes
for a duration of 49 seconds. The trooper was suspended for deploying and
using a stun gun in a moving vehicle.
Mayor Mike Duggan issued a statement on the death of Damon Grimes and
MSP pursuit policy following the police
involved killing of the high school student.
“Our hearts go out to the family and

friends of Damon Grimes. I fully support
Chief Craig’s decision to have the Detroit Police Department conduct an independent investigation into the events
leading up to his death. DPD will be presenting its findings to Wayne County
Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
“Police chases often have the potential for tragedy and the difference in the
policies of the Detroit Police Department
and the Michigan State Police highlight
that concern. The Detroit Police Department policy is not to engage in high
speed chases for traffic offenses or misdemeanors. In the case of felonies, the
decision to continue a high-speed chase
is made by a supervisor.”
Duggan said he had met with Gov.
Snyder following and urged the State
Police to adopt the City of Detroit’s
policy when patrolling city streets. “I
also spoke with State Representative
Sheldon Neely (D) of Flint and expressed
my full support for his proposed legislation to require Michigan State Police
abide by local pursuit policies when patrolling within the boundaries of a city.”
Police chases have proven deadly
throughout the years.
In January, two men were killed when
Detroit officers from the 10th Precinct
chased a minivan after a traffic stop. The
minivan crashed into another vehicle,
resulting in both deaths.
In June 2015, Makiah Jackson, 3, and
Michaelangelo Jackson, 6, were killed
while Detroit police chased parole absconder Lorenzo Harris, who drove his
car 95 mph through an east side neighborhood as he tried to elude officers. He
was convicted of two charges of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to
30-50 years in prison.
But Craig and Shaw, along with a
number of other front-line law officials
concede that the use of ATVs on Detroit
streets is a growing problem as unlicensed young people drive down streets,
sidewalks and across vacant lots at
speeds of up to 50 to 60 mph.
“We’re aware of complaints of young
people who engage in ... racing (ATVs),”
Craig said, adding that he’s working to
identify methods and develop procedures to better govern the use of offroad vehicles. “But it amounts to a misdemeanor at best, so our officers know
not to pursue. It’s too much risk,” he
concludes.

“Detroit is so deeply ingrained in
who I am. My father was an autoworker. My grandfather was an autoworker.
A couple of my uncles were autoworkers. The whole culture of what in many
places people would call middle class
life. My dad always called us working
class because of the blue collar work,
and also because of the respect for that.
And he always wanted us to remember where we came from and what that
meant. No matter whether we were blue
collar or white collar. So that always
stuck with me.”
Once at the University of Michigan,
Ryan said he went through several
majors “but my goal was to become an
urban planner for the city of Detroit. I
thought at the time that the best way for
me to give back to the city of Detroit was
to think about how we could work with
communities to think about the development of not only schools and housing
but open space and local jobs and providing people access.”
Ryan ended up in New York after leaving college due to a relationship he was
in at the time, but found out he really
did enjoy the Big Apple. He had always
been interested in the dynamics of how
cities worked, and New York was an excellent laboratory to study that phenomenon where he worked in the non-profit
sector for 23 years, in philanthropy and
running a citywide housing preservation
group. From his Ford Foundation bio:
“Prior to joining Ford in 2017, Kevin
spent more than 14 years as program
director at the New York Foundation,
where he managed a portfolio of grants
for organizations that use community
organizing, advocacy, and community
development strategies to create systemic change for a more equitable New
York. He also oversaw the foundation’s
Capacity Building Program. Before that,
he was executive director of Community
Training and Resource Center, a housing preservation organization, where he
provided leadership to a staff of tenant
organizers working to improve housing
conditions for low-income New Yorkers.”
But still, as much as he loved New
York, Ryan maintained his hope that
one day he would be able to take what
he learned in neighborhood and housing preservation work and bring it back
home to Detroit. That wish came true
in January when Ford announced they
were hiring a Detroit program officer. As
soon as Ryan found out about the position he applied, and after a rigorous
interviewing and vetting process he was
officially hired in late May and started
work in New York on June 12 before
transferring over to Detroit where he
was provided office space by the Kellogg
Foundation on Adams street downtown.

ed. I have a passion for
Detroit, for this community and its people. I try
to live up to that passion
and that promise each
and everyday,” Ilitch said
in response to public
outcry over the September 12 Kid Rock concert.
“While I can’t control
what any artist does or
says, I can guide our businesses to continue creating life-changing opportunities for people in our
community. I will always
demand that our companies strive to do right by
Detroit, our community
and its people.”

From page A-1
“They needed someone on the ground
here all the time who could more deeply
engage with community organizations
and have conversations with City Hall,
and conversations on the state level. It
was difficult to really manage all of that
work from New York,” said Ryan, who
will oversee the $15 million in annual
grants the Ford Foundation has promised to Detroit.
“Ford had really started investing significantly in Detroit 8-9 years ago. And
we have seven program officers who participate in grant-making strategy here.
…Ford is here for the long haul” working toward creating a more equitable,
inclusive and sustainable recovery for
Detroit.
“There’s a long-term struggle to
create this kind of equitable city, and
that there are gonna be ups and downs
in that process. There are going to be a
lot of political changes, mayors going in
and out, but as long as we hold steady
to the values that we are trying to incorporate into the strategy then no matter
which groups we’re funding, we’re still
holding true to this [standard] around
equitable development, equitable and
inclusive employment opportunities.
We have to hold true to that standard.”
Which raises an immediate question:
“As 3,000 citizens return to the city
every year from prisons, how do they
gain access?”Talking about inclusiveness for disabled, senior citizens, returning citizens, etc.
They are working with the city on
certain projects such as Grow Detroit
Young Talent. “We think it’s an important strategy for connecting young
people with educational opportunities
and access to employment that could
lead to employment and career ladders.”

Jackson
From page A-1

Communications, Freez Frame Media,
Baptist Health, Adrienne Arsht Center,
Armstrong Creative Consulting, KricKrack Media, Pantin/Beber Silverstein Advertising, MGill and Associates, U.S. Department of Transportation and Nielsen.
BOMA was formed in 2015 to bond
forces of common interest for the promotion, development, longevity, empowerment, and financial stability of
Black-owned media in South Florida.
Additionally, BOMA is committed to
accuracy in reporting while providing
the market we serve with fair and balanced coverage. Cedric Dawkins, a past
Symposium attendee, says that BOMA
has continued to present poignant discussions since its inception. “The relevance for an event like this is imperative in these times of uncertainty and
people of color need to know there is an
unbiased, non-partisan, credible news
source to report important issues about
them for them by people who look like
them and understand their struggle,”
Dawkins said. “BOMA serves that purpose through its collective consortium
of Black-owned media platforms.”
Registration is required to attend
BOMA’s free annual sympo

He went on to say that neither Trump’s recent pardon
of former Arizona sheriff Joe
Arpaio nor his “threatening of
nuclear war and rumor of war,”
via tweeted messages, pointed
toward normalcy.

The Washington Informer/NNPA

Thousands of people, including a cadre of faith leaders
from the Reconciled Church
Movement (RCM), that represents various faith-based
communities, joined the Rev.
Al Sharpton and members of
his nonprofit National Action
Network (NAN) in Washington,
D.C. to rebuke President Donald Trump and recommit themselves to the fight for social and
economic justice.

He added that “refusing to
condemn racism and anti-Semitism” also isn’t normal.
“Somebody has to have the
courage to stand up and say,
‘this emperor has no clothes,’”
Hatch said.

The longtime civil rights activist said the turnout of about
3,000 people, who participated
in the Ministers March for Justice, marked one of the largest-ever interfaith gatherings in
protest of racism in America.
“[Just] as [Martin Luther
King, Jr.] marched 54 years
ago, we are still marching for
voting rights, health care, criminal justice reform and economic justice,” said Sharpton, who
marched Monday alongside the
likes of Martin Luther King III.
Prior to the peaceful gathering, Sharpton had expressed
disdain over how the Trump
administration has sought to
undo much of the progress of
the country’s civil rights era.
The nearly two-mile march,
which began shortly after noon
at the Martin Luther King, Jr.
Memorial and stopped briefly
for prayer outside the Trump
Hotel before moving to the Justice Department Building, coincided with the 54th anniversary
of the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., president and CEO of the NNPA, Martin Luther King, III, 2017 NNPA
Lifetime Legacy Award and civil rights leader, and Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action
Network, were among those who organized the Ministers March for Justice to support racial healing in the U.S. — Travis Riddick/NNPA) photo
and King’s “I Have a Dream”
speech.
Johnnie Green, senior pastor of Mt. Nebo Baptist Church
in Harlem, New York, thanked
Sharpton for organizing the
march before taking shots at
Trump and other GOP lawmakers.
“We’re here today because
many of those who sit in the
seat of power — the president, the Republican Congress
and the Republican Senate —
they’ve once again written us a
bad check,” Green said.

“The check written to millions of Americans — black,
brown, Jewish, Muslim and
many others — has come back
stamped
with
insufficient
funds.”
Green continued: “When you
try to take away health care for
26 million Americans, you’re
trying to issue us another bad
check. When you co-sign the
killings of people of color in
the name of law and order, and
leave our black bodies lying in
the streets for more than four
hours and refuse to hear our
cries of ‘I can’t breathe’ while

choking us to death, you’re
trying to issue us another bad
check.
“When you tell us that there
are good people among nationalists, white supremacists and
neo-Nazis who commit terrorists acts here on American soil,
you’re trying to issue us another bad check.”
Rev. Marshall Hatch, cochair for the Chicago-based
Leaders Network, also gave a fiery speech, blasting Trump for
what he said is an attempt to
stop an investigation of “foreign
meddling into our election.”

The march came on the heels
of Trump’s sullen response surrounding a White supremacist
rally held in Charlottesville,
Virginia, after city officials had
contemplated the removal of
Confederate statues. A couple
of days after the rally, in which
counter protester Heather Heyer was killed, Trump blamed
“both sides” for the violence
that erupted during the event.
Jeffrey David Cox, president of the 700,000-member
American Federation of Government Employees located in
northwest D.C., told the crowd
there’s no room in this country
for hatred.
“It’s time to take those statues down,” Cox said. “But leave
the base so we [can] tell our
children and our grandchildren
what an evil wicked thing this
country did.”
The Washington Informer
is a member publication of the
National Newspaper Publishers Association. Learn more
about becoming a member at
www.nnpa.org.

Future of Harriet Tubman $20 bill threatened by Trump administration

In yet another about-face under Trump, the treasury secretary says he’s uncommitted to honoring the slavery abolitionist
By Nigel Roberts
It was just a matter of time.
President Trump’s obsession
with undoing progress achieved
under President Obama turned
to the plan to add some color to
U.S. currency.
The Washington Post reports
that Treasury Secretary Steven
Mnuchin said he will not commit to Obama’s plan of putting
an image of slavery abolitionist
Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill.

Under the Obama
proposal, Tubman
would replace President Andrew Jackson’s image, which
would move to the
back of the bill. It
would make Tubman, who led numerous slaves to
freedom, the first
African American on U.S. currency.
However, Mnuchin said in a
CNBC interview that he’s not

It’s no surprise
that Trump is leaning
(likely already decided) toward keeping
Jackson as the only
portrait on the bill.

“focused” on that right now,
adding “the issues of why we
change it will be primarily related to what we need to do for
security purposes.”

The seventh president became wealthy
from his slaves and
was
behind
the
forced
relocation
of Native Americans in what’s
become known as the Trail of
Tears. Trump told NBC News in
April that he’s a great admirer of

Jackson and believes the plan
to replace him with Tubman is
about political correctness.
What’s next? There’s also a
plan to add images of memorable moments at the Lincoln
Memorial to the $5 bill, the
International Business Times
reported. They would include
civil right leader Martin Luther
King, Jr., opera singer Marian
Anderson and former first lady
Eleanor Roosevelt.

Page A-6 • THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE • September 6-12, 2017

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE
& UNIVERSITY JOURNALISTS
DISCOVER THE UNEXPECTED
AND MORE!

SEE UNTOLD STORIES THAT CELEBRATE OUR CULTURE AND HISTORY

Congratulations to our Discover the Unexpected (DTU) Fellows!
Discover the Unexpected, presented by the all-new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox in partnership
with the National Newspaper Publishers Association, celebrates the impressive achievements
of our HBCU student journalists.
Because of our DTU Fellows, summer ’17 was full of important stories that inform, inspire,
and shatter perceptions about African American culture as well as our community.
Don’t miss their stories and videos from this road trip of a lifetime.

#discovertheunexpected

DISCOVER MORE OF THEIR STORIES AT NNPA.ORG/DTU

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SECTION B

michiganchronicle.com

September 6-12, 2017

NAACP launches
national listening
tour at
Detroit church
By Roz Edward
As summer comes to a close,
the NAACP is moving ahead with
a first-of-its-kind listening tour
which will criss-cross the nation
to directly interact with black citizens around the nation and to
hear from the black community
firsthand about their social justice aspirations and present civil
rights priorities to NAACP members and leadership.
The Detroit Branch NAACP, the
largest and most active branch in
the nation, was selected to launch
the historic tour titled “NAACP
Forward: Today, Tomorrow and
Always” in a recent kickoff event
at greater Mt. Moriah Church on
Owens St. in Detroit.

Bishop Don W. Shelby to lead COGIC Jurisdiction
By Ken Coleman
More than 2,000 well-wishers attended
the event, with elegant violet and gold décor that blanketed the inaugural banquet of
Bishop Don W. Shelby, Jr. last week at Cobo
Convention Center.
“Monday night was a very special night,”
Bishop Shelby said about August 28.
Indeed, it was. People braved storm
conditions to witness the occasion. They
walked into the spacious downtown convention hall that projected his face, his name,
and the evening’s theme, “Glorious Celebration,” so prominently that
it could be seen from Renaissance Center a quarter-mile away.

Detroit Branch NAACP president Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony
– Andre Smith photo
NAACP Forward is part of the
organization’s strategic plan to
enhance its vision and mission,
and to renew its commitment to
the fight for civil rights amid a
swirling climate of political hostility, voter suppression, income
inequality, mass incarceration,
police brutality and anti-immigrant sentiment. NAACP Forward
will convene local membership,
supporters and partners to offer
their guidance on how the NAACP
can retool itself to combat 21st
century threats.
Derrick Johnson, interim president and CEO of the NAACP, was
asked about what is next for the
organization as they search for a
new CEO. To start, Johnson said
the organization is conducting a
listening tour across the country
to learn about the different social
justice needs that are being faced
by members and to create a structured path into combating issues
beyond the Civil Rights Movement
of the 1960s.
“Social justice is not a competition — we all coexist. I celebrate young folks protesting in
the streets. I want more of that.
If they happen to do that under
the NAACP, I will support them
just like I support everyone else.
We have to get out of this mindset that it’s either this or that. It’s
all of us at the same time because
our problems are much larger
than one organization can address,” Johnson explained.
Other panelists present to listen, learn and lead included Leon
Russell, chairman, NAACP Board
of Directors, and Detroit Branch
NAACP president Rev. Dr. Wendell
Anthony.
Much of the robust discussion
centered around the issue of voting and the threat to civil liberties
and quality of life for minorities
in the wake of controversial vot-

Shelby, a Saginaw
native,
now
heads
the Church of God in
Christ’s Michigan Fifth
Jurisdiction, which is
comprised of about
52 congregations in
the southeastern
Michigan area.
Charles
Edward Blake, Sr.
keynoted the
occasion.
He is presiding bishop of
the Church of
God in Christ,
Inc., the six million-member Pentecostal-Holiness denomination.
Blake reminded attendees

to “use your badge.”
Using the badge is something that Bishop Shelby has done faithfully, even when circumstances were dire.
More than 30 years ago, Shelby, a senior
at Tennessee State University (TSU,) was
struck by a drunk driver who was bulleting
along at 90 miles per hour. The head-on collision left him paralyzed on the right side of
his body. Shelby was wheelchair bound for a
year as his body healed.
His spirit, however, grew even more
Christ-centered.
“I’m a walking, talking, living, breathing
miracle,” he declared. “I do believe that the
reason that I didn’t die that night is because
I’m on assignment to do just what I’m doing
now — ministering in the Church of God in
Christ.”
Shelby was called to the ministry and licensed in 1983 and was ordained as an elder five years later. He graduated from the
Buena Vista High School and furthered his
education at Tennessee State College and
the University of Detroit. He founded Westland-based Burning Bush Church of God in
Christ in 1991.
In 2012, Shelby was appointed as an administrative assistant to Bishop John H.
Sheard, presiding prelate of the First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Michigan Southwest.
He considers giants like Sheard, Superintendent Robert Harris, Bishop P.A. Brooks,
Bishop James Whitehead and Bishop Blake
as his spiritual influences.
“Bishop Brooks is one of the great

See Bishop Shelby page B-2

See Listening Tour page B-2

Black artists present cultural literacy in action

By Ingrid LaFleur

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

With the rapid transformation happening in parts of Detroit, it is cultural
literacy that keeps us rooted in the city
we love so much. The event Crop Up, curated by the design firm Akoaki, is part
of a larger movement where we are able
to witness cultural literacy in action.
Detroit Afrikan cultural literacy to
be exact. The Detroit Afrikan, coined by
thought leader and president of Detroit
Recordings, Bryce Detroit, has a rich
legacy of rooting its culture in the spirit and the human being first. It is only
through Detroit Afrikan narratives will
we be able to see ourselves reflected in
any development project taking place in
our neighborhoods.
Crop Up is an event born out of the
UNESCO City of Design city-wide effort
organized by the Detroit Creative Corridor Center. Akoaki, founded by Anya
Sirota and Jean Louis Farges, will be
presenting 20-year future projections
of Oakland Avenue Urban Farm in the
North End alongside three art exhibitions and music performances. Oakland
Avenue Urban Farm is intentional in
creating community development along
Oakland Avenue that is culture-led.

When community
development
is culture-led, according to Bryce
Detroit, the development activities
support justice in
the community.

The three exhibits of Crop Up,
“Blue Eyes” by
Ute¯, “Frequency” by
Andrew Ross Evans
and “100
Masks” by Dr.
Kno, take place
within the Store,
a
former
grocery store sitting right next to Oakland Avenue Urban Farm. The Store
was cleaned out and reimagined as an
exhibition space. All three exhibitions,
each by born and raised Detroiters, give
a multi-level experience that channels
the language necessary to continue expanding and increasing Detroit Afrikan
cultural literacy.
Dr. Kno, also known as Efe Bes, a
well-known drummer who performs in
Detroit and abroad, personifies the storyteller who uses the visual language

as his mode of
communication.
When you speak
with
Dr.
Kno
about his drumming practice you
will understand
that he, like a
conductor of heat,
is a conductor of
African ancestral
energy.
Drumming keeps him
close to the spirit
world thus crafting the ability to
receive the energy
and ultimately deliver its essence
to us, the audience. No matter the tool
Efe wields, that same ancestral energy
will come through him and manifest for
us to be forever changed.

Dr. Kno’s exhibition, “100 Masks,” is
seductive. Once installed, each mask
will be floating at eye level. Upon first
glance, the fascination that immediately
develops speaks to Dr. Kno’s intention,
to “tell stories to correct the rhythm
and have the people move in a more productive fashion.” The rhythm he speaks
about is evident once you lock eyes on a

mask. The colors and patterns Dr. Kno
chooses spins the story and sweeps you
up in its glory. Each unique mask having its own conversation with you. Dr.
Kno is the one who conjures your ancestors and helps you to embrace their
presence which requires access to a certain rhythm that only Dr. Kno can make.
Each mask is for purchase, so that same
ancestral energy will provide protection
when hanging in a home.
Andrew Ross Evans fully expresses
the same fragility of time and dimension. Like Dr. Kno, Evans’ ability to
create windows into a surreal land of
impossibility through his photography
is intriguing. His photographic exhibit, “Frequency,” is a momentary escape
into a world of magic. Evans, at the age
of 13, began his photography practice.
After years of homeschooling, he was
able to attend college at age 16. This
exceptional level of self-awareness is
also evident in each photograph. Evans’ focus on bending and suspending
time requires a gentle patience that he
has clearly cultivated thus achieving his
goal of “capturing a moment that can
never happen again.”
Blurring lines are what Ute¯ wants to

See Cultural Literacy page B-2

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

Listening Tour
From page B-1
er suppression practices and
legislation imposed to preclude
voting by minority citizens and
dilute the impact and benefit of
the voting process on communities of color.
“Coming from Mississippi
and being born here in Detroit I
recognize racism two ways and
what I am seeing in Michigan
[in terms of voter suppression]
is as bad as it gets anywhere
in the country. When you have
democratic participation of African Americans across the
state and Republicans capture
eight cities and a governor, and
you take the power from all
eight cities, you undermine the
ability of individuals to exercise
their franchise,” said Jefferson.
“If we want to protect the
right to vote, we have to vote [in
the 2018].Next year every seat
in Congress is up for election,
so if you want to stop Trump
getingt control of Congress you
must vote,” urged Johnson,
adding that an additional 18
U.S. Senate seats are also up
for grabs.
Along with these public
meetings, NAACP Forward in

September 6-12, 2017

Page B-2

Detroit also includes smaller
discussions in the city to better understand the perspective
of its membership, local community leaders, activists and
others, continuing the series of
critical discussions and action
plans initiated at the NAACP’s
108th annual convention in
2017.
Detroit’s renowned NAACP
leader and community advocate Rev. Wendell Anthony
cautioned supporters to not be
lulled into complacency by political sound bites and slogans.
“’Yes We Can’ is good, but
that goes to symbolism versus
substance,” explained Anthony. “If you want a slogan, here’s
one: ‘Take Your Souls to the
Polls and Vote.’” Anthony also
encouraged audience members to support the NAACP and
other black institutions and
organization to achieve sustainability.
“[Organizational
leaders] should not be forced to
go hands-out to other entities
that do not have our interest at
heart, because what you do is
mute our voice,”
In closing, Rev. Anthony solicited support from the grassroots speakers and audience
members to help lobby for the
109th NAACP annual conven-

Cultural Literacy

NAACP Listening Tour participants (l-r): Derrick Johnson, National NAACP Interim president and
CEO; NAACP Chairman, Board of directors Leon Russell and Detroit Branch NAACP president
Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony. – Andre Smith photo
tion to be held in Detroit.
And in a written communication following the inaugural
NAACP Forward meeting, Russell summed up his sentiments
regarding the event at Greater
Mt. Moriah, and the course of
the Listening Tour. “These are

Russell said. “I am grateful for
the warm welcome we received
in the Motor City and for the
candor and compassion displayed during the public meeting. The insights shared will be
greatly beneficial in informing
the NAACP’s strategic plan and
in refreshing the Association.

From page B-1

do as well, especially between art and design. When creating the “Blue Eyes” exhibit
Ute¯ says he was thinking about “ways the
community can be engaged and better be
apart of these processes we institutionalize.” The title of his exhibit is inspired by
the movie “Moonlight” directed by Barry
Jenkins, “in moonlight black boys look
blue.” Ute¯ is wrapping sitting booths with
a futuristic wallpaper and tablecloth with
a pattern of vegetables designed using the
anatomy of car parts. Ute¯ hopes his unusual wallpaper will help youth create a healthier relationship to vegetables and the land.
The ability to heal trauma is a concern of
Ute¯. Part of that healing is imagining a world
where his winged vegetables serve as a setting for a queer love story, “love is what it
conjures for me.”

neighborhood and beyond. Through community cultural economics Oakland Avenue
Urban Farm aims to create quality affordable housing, a stable safe environment for
youth, and financial security for families
in the North End. By partnering with local
organizations, they are developing a future
that is culture-led.

When I view his patterns I decide to imagine with him. It’s a safe place where I feel
like I can skip through his paradise with
glee. It’s as if he created a color saturated
utopia that was carefully crafted using Detroit’s innovation, vegetation and blackness. It is undeniable it is the Detroit Afrikan culture that gives the wallpaper flare.

Akoaki hopes that Crop Up will help amplify the work of Oakland Avenue Urban
Farm. It is the Farm’s aim to increase participation and support--financially and collaboratively. Their hope is that as the farming
season winds down they can continue supporting the families that work there.

The Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, described as a future institution, is at the
center of transformation for the North End

critical times. America’s on
a path that will lead to irreparable consequences for all its
citizens. It’s up to us to guide
our nation forward, not backward. It’s up to us to harness
the awesome strength of our
collective voices and speak out
for a just, inclusive America,”

Executive director of Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, Jerry Hebron, believes that “it’s
not just about food, it’s a cultural experience that looks at the whole community. I
am a cultivator — food, people, community — that’s what we do here. We do that by
culturally lifting up our legacy around music, art, African-American culture and at the
base of it is food.” Perhaps Hebron is envisioning a similar future as Ute¯ imagines, a
future that is safe for all and filled with love.

As Hebron so beautifully stated, “It’s important for African Americans to remember
that we are the culture that held this city
together. Be proud.

Bishop Shelby
From page B-1

churchmen in the Church of
God in Christ,” Shelby stated.
“He has been very influential
as a model and an example,
and I feel like I stand on the
shoulders of Bishop Sheard.”
Bishop Shelby believes that
the church must be an active
part of the general community.
He has previously served as a
member of the Ypsilanti City
Planning Committee. He is
also a lifetime member of the
NAACP and financially supports home and foreign missions in Africa. Experiencing
phenomenal growth, the ministry expanded to the Burning
Bush International Ministries
of Jackson, Michigan on January 1, 2006.
Bishop Shelby was married
to Evangelist Bonita A. Shelby.
He is a father to five children
who have formed the up and
coming gospel singing group
the Shelby Five.

The Detroit Pistons host sports clinic and Back to School Health Fair in Detroit
By Henry A. Ward

about this one,” she said,
adding that she wanted
her son to learn about
patience, discipline and
increase his social awareness. “He’s a science and
math kid. We wanted to
involve him in something
athletic.”

The Detroit Pistons
and S.A.Y. (Super All Year)
Detroit hosted a free Back
to School health fair last
week at the S.A.Y. Detroit
Play Center, located on
the east side of Detroit. A
sports clinic with former
Detroit Pistons Forward
Earl “The Twirl” Cureton
was part of the festivities.

As
Lewis
walked
around the fair, she noted
that there were plenty of
resources available and
said, “A lot of people are
not able to go place to
place. People can utilize
these organizations that
are all in one place.”

The health fair included free vision tests, where
the children could select
glasses on-site, if needed,
as well as nutritional information.
As the Detroit Pistons transition to the
new Little Caesars Arena
in Detroit, they will concentrate in bringing more
sports clinics and health
fairs to the city, said
Awenate Cobbina, executive director of the Detroit
Pistons Foundation and
director, business affairs,
Palace Sports.
“This fair provides resources to kids that are
going back to school,”
he said. “And, the sports
clinic teaches them about
teamwork,
leadership,
hard work, discipline and
college.”
Cureton
spoke
to
about 30 children at the

had her ears and eyes
tested; she passed both.
“I thought she couldn’t
hear me, but now I know
she was ignoring me,”
said Lewis with a smile.
For more information
about the Detroit Pistons,
go to www.Pistons.com.

At Your Service

COMPUTERS

Sales & Service

The Pistons host about
15 clinics throughout
Southeast Michigan. Two
are held in Detroit.

Earl “The Twirl” Cureton, former Detroit Pistons Forward, gathers with youth at
the S.A.Y. Detroit Play Center at Lipke Park.
clinic who listened with
rapt attention.
Samone Williamson,
an optician with Vision
to Learn, said that she
had performed eye exams
on about 25 children and
would be on-site for an
additional three hours.
Almost half of the children needed glasses. After Vision to Learn performs the eye exam, and
if it is determined that a
child needs glasses, the

optician presents the
child with a selection of
glasses in different styles
and colors. The children
select the style they like
and the organization delivers the glasses to the
school in the next few
weeks.
“We’re trying to reach
all of Detroit so they can
see before they go back
to school or while in
school,” said Williamson.
The goal of the orga-

nization is to provide eye
exams and glasses to two
million kids across America,
Meshawn Lewis, who
is 27 and lives in Wixom,
attended the fair with her
two sons, ages 10 and 3.
She heard about the Detroit Pistons sports clinic
and wanted her 10-yearold to participate in the
camp.
“I was looking for a
camp online and I heard

“We are looking to do
more, going forward,”
said Cobbina. “Expect to
see a lot more.”
Nicole Graves, 36,
stopped by the health fair
with her two children.
Her daughter is 6 and a
student at Marion Lewis Academy in Detroit.
She stopped at the table
sponsored by the United
Dairy Industry of Michigan and her 10-monthold tried yogurt for the
first time and seemed to
like it. She also said she
was concerned about her
daughter’s hearing so she

DDOT and SMART relocate 12 Northland bus routes

Detroit Department of Transportation,
Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional
Transportation and the City of Southfield
have been working closely for several months
to develop a plan that ends bus service to
Northland Mall and relocate 12 bus routes to
nearby area bus stops.

The impacted routes include the 16 Dexter, 17 Eight Mile, 22 Greenfield, 46 Southfield, 23 Hamilton, 60 Evergreen, 400 Orchard
Ridge, 405 Northwestern, 415 Greenfield,
420 Southfield, 710 Nine Mile and 851 WB/FH
Park & Ride. These changes took place as of
Sept. 2 and Sept. 4. Riders should also note
that DDOT and SMART now operate a Sunday
schedule on Labor Day.
Northland Mall closed in 2015. With the
uncertainty of what could happen with the
vacant mall space, DDOT and SMART joined
together to conceive a proactive plan that
would smoothly and safely relocate bus
stops at Northland mall to several nearby locations.

were encouraged to attend this meeting to
receive all necessary information regarding
the Septmeber routing changes.

“This relocation plan is a result of our riders and drivers telling us what we needed to
do. Our goal was to minimize transfers and
get people where they need to go as quickly
as possibl,” said Dan Dirks, director of the
Detroit Deparment of Transportation.

Additionally, DDOT staff members and volunteers have a “Street Team” stationed in the
Northland area wearing bright yellow shirts,
until Sept. 8, helping riders get comfortable
and acclimated to the new routing changes.

While no one transit hub is taking the
place of Northland, all new bus stop locations are in well lighted, central locations
with great visibility. This move has provided
DDOT the opportunity to expand bus service to new destinations like Oakland Community College, Providence Hospital, Meijer
Shopping Plaza and 10 mile and Evergreen,
an intersection DDOT has never connected
to previously.

“We believe DDOT and SMART staff has
done that. I encourage customers to let us
know how we can improve this service in the
future.”

Willie Brake

DDOT committed to opening their customer service lines on Saturday, Sept. 2, from
7 a.m. to 1 p.m. to take any questions riders
may have had regarding the changes. Normal
customer service hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Monday through Friday. DDOT’s customer
service can be reached at 313-933-1300.

In addition to the Northland routing
changes, riders could also expect to see significant service level improvements to the 19
Fort, 27 Joy and 29 Linwood bus routes.
For all information on upcoming DDOT
service changes, please visit www.ridedetroittransit.com.

We’ve continually stated what’s best
for educators is best for students.

• Third, let’s not forget state government when it provided the so-called
DPS rescue funding package last year. It
didn’t fund our school district adequately. After the state house approved $617
million to fund DPSCD, a nonpartisan
Senate Fiscal Agency report revealed
that our district would need an additional $88 million to cover all its costs. Even
some GOP lawmakers were concerned.
“We need to make sure that there’s
enough money to fix the situation,
there’s no use in doing it half measure,”
acknowledged Senator Rick Jones, a Republican from Grand Ledge.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District operates best when there is
a certified teacher in every classroom.
Students, their families and the greater
community benefit from that.
We
certainly
appreciate General Superintendent
Dr. Nikolai Vitti’s
effort to recruit
educators to our
school district. In
fact, we’ve offered
suggestions to him
on how he and his
administration can
best attract them.
Let’s
review
Ivy Bailey
why and how DPSCD became saddled with 425 teacher
vacancies:
• First, it’s important to note that the
American Federation of Teachers has
pointed out that U.S. public schools
must fill 300,000 teacher vacancies each
year, but a shortage is growing across
the country. A national trend, teacher
vacancies are affecting both urban and
suburban school districts.
• Second, the infamous Educational
Achievement Authority (EAA), which
was created in 2012 by Gov. Rick Snyder and our Republican-led state legislature, removed 15 schools from the
DPSCD portfolio. Before the EAA took
those schools, about 11,000 students
were enrolled in those buildings. Five
years later, EAA’s student enrollment
was less than 6,000 students. Last
month, after Lansing politicos threw up
their hands and walked away from the
failed experiment those schools have
returned to DPSCD—but without a significant number of teachers who taught
students there. EAA teacher salaries are
higher than some of our educators because EAA did not pay into the state re-

Once among the state’s highest compensated teachers, our wages and salaries have steadily fallen behind other
Michigan school districts. With new
leadership, the district now must seize
the opportunity to increase student
achievement.
The other point to be made is that the
district must also do a better job of
supporting the teachers who have been
here. Part of the vacancy number are
teachers who left the district this summer fed up over years of heavy-handed,
state-appointed emergency managers
who weren’t educators. They usurped
10 percent of our salary and sought to
jail us after we stuck up for students
and other support staff who were exposed to deplorable conditions at some
of our schools.

Dr. Vitti stated last week:

“We are rebuilding a district that has
neglected and even disrespected role of
teachers for over a decade.”
He’s right.
Not only is recruiting teachers imperative, but so is supporting the current
group of DPSCD educators who professionally carry out their jobs each day.
Again, what’s best for educators is best
for students.
Ivy Bailey is president of the Detroit
Federation of Teachers

An improved primary canvass
As the Chief Elections Official for
the City of Detroit, I am charged with
administering elections for 490 voting
precincts and 100 absentee precincts,
making the City of Detroit the largest
municipal elections operation (469,000
registered voters) in the State. I am happy to report that on
August 21, 2017,
the Wayne County
Board of Canvassers unanimously
certified the Detroit
Municipal
Primary
returns
in record time as
required by State
elections law.
The
Wayne
County Board of
Canvassers Munic- Janice M. Winfrey
ipal Primary report affirms that the issues raised in the 2016 Presidential Primary have been addressed. The Wayne
County Board of Canvassers report indicates a significant improvement over the
2016 Presidential Primary Canvass, and
100% of Election results were uploaded
via the web by 10:30 P.M. on Election
Night. This is a tremendous milestone
for the City of Detroit, thanks to our
cadre of dedicated pollworkers.
Elections administration is not an exact science, it’s subject to “correctable
human errors.” Alhough we seek to administer “perfect elections” in the City
of Detroit, I know there is more work to
be done, and I understand the need for
continuous improvement, and the need
to redouble our training efforts to provide more frequent training opportunities to our 8,000 seasonal pollworkers.
The work of elections administrators
is never complete, city clerks throughout Michigan, will tell you that we are
always “fixing” one issue or the other.
As such, newcomers to the election
business who have great ideas about
implementing new elections strategies and procedures must understand
that new election procedures must be
tempered against the existing body of
elections laws, in addition to factoring
in the daunting task of administering
elections in the largest urban city in the
State of Michigan.
The State of Michigan Bureau of Elections post-2016 Presidential Primary
canvass audit, issued earlier this year,

cleared my office of any malfeasance.
Though we seek to administer “perfect
elections,” we understand the need for
continuous improvement and the need
to redouble our efforts to provide more
training to seasonal poll workers to
prevent “human errors” at our 490 precincts.
To address the issues experienced
in the 2016 Presidential Primary, we recruited 3,000 to 8,000 pollworkers from
our community, including pollworkers
experienced with computers from universities, the business community, and
non-profit organizations in the region.
In order to attract younger pollworkers,
we expanded our Democracy Day in the
“D” initiative to encourage organizations such as Quicken Loans to allow
their employees to work the polls on
Election Day.
We are also requiring precinct supervisors to pass a written exam on critical election procedures, in addition to
requiring that all supervisors attend
three (3) training sessions (Election law
requires one training session), in addition to providing “hands on” training
with our new state-of-the-art voting machines in preparation for Election Day.
We also implemented a more robust,
pay-for-performance incentive plan to
meet our goal of having 100% of our precincts “perfect.”
I also revamped our Receiving Board
operations to correct any human or
mathematical errors at our 490 precincts and 100 Absentee Counting
Boards.
In order to protect the integrity of
the election process, and to ensure that
Detroit voters are not disenfranchised,
State elections laws must be amended
so that the State of Michigan is aligned
with the rest of the country, allowing
ALL ballots to be “recounted” a second
time in the event a recount is deemed
necessary. At the end of the day, the
democratic process is the foundation
upon which this country was built; ensuring that “every vote is counted.”
My record on protecting the vote
stands on its own; in the 2013 Municipal
Primary, I fought to ensure that 20,000
votes cast by residents of the city of Detroit counted.
Janice M. Winfrey
Detroit City Clerk

Cheers to New Orleans Mayor Mitch
Landrieu, one of the first mayors to take
Confederate statues down and to make
the strong point that these statues represent nothing but oppression. You
should check out the speech he delivered, in May, at MarketWatch.com.

Taraji P. Henson – Monica Morgan photo

Lessons from the heart at Cobo Expo
By Carmen Strather
Last week, the team at Strather Academy had the pleasure of participating
in the Women’s Empowerment Expo
at Cobo Hall. It was an honor to take
part in an event that so positively promoted the principles of love, unity, and
strength for females. I was particularly
grateful to be able
to listen to Taraji
P. Henson’s speech
and all of the important messages
that came from her
heart.
In fact, I have
listened and reflected on Taraji’s speech a few
times this week.
Carmen Strather
It was through
this reflection that I came to realize the
importance of the heart and our job of
protecting it. We unfortunately live in
a world that constantly tries to darken
our hearts. It is through these trials
that we are pushed to discover who we
really are. The ability to hold onto the
light amongst the pressures of darkness
crashing in on our world teaches us how
to find, strengthen, and ultimately use
the power of our hearts. Once we are

able to overcome this darkness, we can
use that strength to shine a light on others.
Here at Strather Academy, we understand that this is the battle we are all
facing. We each need to find a way to not
only protect our hearts, but also help
keep the light in each others’ hearts as
well. Strather Academy is playing its
part in this movement by teaching our
community how to redevelop our neighborhoods in a way that fosters the light.
I truly hope to one day be able to walk
down the streets of Detroit’s neighborhoods and feel like it fully represents
the true beauty and light that is within
our culture.
Strather Academy is offering two free
real estate seminars this month and has
launched our access page in an effort to
get as many people as possible playing a
part in the redevelopment of our neighborhoods. We all need to step out of the
shadows and into the light. Whether or
not real estate is your path, I encourage
everyone to take a second listen to Taraji’s speech and figure out how they can
start shining the light.
The power of the heart is what will
ultimately make the world we live in a
better place.

More cheers to Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh who had statues removed in
the dead of night
to avoid Charlottesville-type
confrontations
between
racist
white
supremacists (also known
as “good people”
according to “45”)
and those who oppose them.
And though he
does little that I
agree with, in the Julianne Malveaux
interest of equal
praise, I must lift up Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who had the statue of
Roger Taney removed from the Maryland
state house. Taney was an especially vile
racist who authored the Dred Scott decision in 1857. He wrote that black people
had no rights that whites were bound to
respect, and provided justification for
enslavement, even as many in the rest
of the nation were clamoring against the
unjust institution.
As the statues are falling, economic racism is not fading. African Americans still earn just 60 percent of what
Whites earn. We have just 7 percent of
the wealth that Whites have. The unemployment rate for Black workers is
double the unemployment rate of White
workers. Even with equal incomes,
Blacks find it more challenging to get
mortgages or other access to capital
and our economic rights are being challenged every day.

It is important to note that these statues were not erected immediately after
the Civil War. Of course, Southern Confederates — a bunch of losers — were
too broke to build statues. They were
still trying to recover from the devastation of the Civil War. How did they
plan to recover? They needed a captive
labor force to work their fields, just as
enslaved people had before the war. So
they ensured quasi-captivity through
intimidation. That need was partially
responsible for the emergence of the
KKK. They inspired fear, suppressed resistance, and, through Black Codes and
Jim Crow, engineered the near-re-enslavement of black people.
Black people who wanted to leave the
South after the end of Reconstruction
had to do it in the dead of night. Black
people, who had land, were often forced
to concede it or be killed. The Emergency Land Fund, a now-defunct organization that documented the black loss of
land, indicated that black folks lost as
much as 90 percent of their accumulated land by 1970, at least partially due to
trickery and intimidation.
The origins of the wealth gap lie in
this loss of land, and in the intimidation
that kept African American people in
near-slave status in the South. Confederate statues, flags, and Klan activity appeared wherever there was resistance—
during and after the reconstructions,
in the 1920s, after the Red Summer of
1919 and the return of Black men from
World War I.
Sure, we have come a long way since
those ugly days of enslavement or stark
segregation, but some power comes
from the Benjamins. And, according to
some estimates, it will take more than
200 years to close the wealth gap. The
statues may be falling, but economic
racism is alive and well.
I challenge those who would tear
down the statues and take down the
flags to show equal zeal in tearing down
the walls of economic racism.

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

September 6-12, 2017

Page B-5

A People’s History of Delray Mural dedication and open house
The public is invited to
join People’s Community
Services as they celebrate
the public unveiling of the
People’s History of Delray
Mural at the Delray Neighborhood House, 420 S.
Leigh Street, on Saturday,
Sept. 16, from 1 to 3 p.m.
Over the course of a
year, the mural was painted by well-known muralist and artist Dennis Orlowski, assisted by youth
enrolled in after-school
programming at People’s
Community
Services
(PCS).
This collaboration allowed the youth to explore the very unique
environmental position
which the Delray neighborhood occupies.
The mural, which covers the upper portion of
all four walls in the community room, is a historical depiction of Delray,
from the period of the
mound builders, though
industrialization, to the
Delray community of today.
At the open house,
Dennis Orlowski will be

speaking about the historical aspects of the mural. This will be a wonderful opportunity to learn
about Delray and the
strong and resilient spirit of the citizens of that
community.
Funding for the mural
was in part provided by
the Fred A. and Barbara
M. Erb Family Founda-

tion. Refreshments will
be served.
People’s Community
Services of Metropolitan
Detroit is a non-profit
organization established
to continue a historical
interest of people by providing social services to
especially needy neighborhoods of metropolitan
Detroit. Rooted in the set-

tlement movement of the
past and empowering people in their community today, for over 60 years People’s Community Services

has remained one of the
longest standing systems
of community centers in
Detroit and Hamtramck.
The agency provides EPIC

By Donald James
While attending Detroit Renaissance
High School, Asha Hill constantly heard
students talk about their experiences
walking to and from school, often on
dark streets lined with high weeds and
abandoned houses. Although she didn’t
experience such journeys, she felt the
need to find a platform from which she
could voice ideas of how to keep Detroit
Public Schools Community District’s
students safe.
“I never had to walk to school, but I
had family members who did,” said Hill,
who graduated from Renaissance in
June with a 3.9 GPA. “I also have several friends who were robbed while walking to school in the dark. Their safety
was important to me, so I wanted to do
something to address this problem.”
Hill’s opportunity to communicate
her ideas manifested last school year,
when she entered an essay contest for
DPSCD’s young ladies in the 12th grade.
The essay contest called “One Bold Girl,
One Bold Thought: Bringing STEM to
Life Through Heart,” required applicants to write on a topic that dealt with
solutions for better health in the community, or solutions to address safety
concerns in the community.
“I decided to write on safety and the
well-being of students who had to walk
to and from school in the dark,” said
Hill. “I wanted to write on how different
safety strategies and techniques could
better protect young people early in the
morning on their way to school when
it’s dark, or walking home in the dark
after school when they had to stay late
for practice.”
Hill’s choice to boldly write on safe
passage included innovative ways for
school buses to be used. The comprehensive strategy and plan also called for
innovative ways to use law enforcement
officers from both the Detroit Police
Department (DPD) and Detroit Public
Schools Police Department (DPSPD)

during morning and evening walk times
for students. Hill also described strategic placements of bells, cameras, reflectors and lights on poles. Her plan called
for volunteers to be on the streets, but
only after being vetted by DPD and DPSPD.
From the large pool of essay participants, five 12th graders were chosen
as finalists. Their presentations were
viewed and evaluated by a team of professionals from the American Heart Association, essay contest sponsors and
the Detroit Public Schools Foundation.
A winner was selected to receive the
$2,500 scholarship — Asha Hill.
As top winner, Hill was mentored by a
member of the American Heart Association’s Circle of Red, before attending the
Go Red for Women luncheon last spring
where she verbally presented her ideas
through GoRedTalks!
“I was excited that someone liked my
essay on safety, and realized that safety is a big problem for students who
have to walk to and from school when
it’s dark,” said Hill. “I was also excited
that judges took the time to understand
what I was saying, and believed my ideas
would really make a difference.”

Hill is currently attending the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where as
a freshmen, she’s majoring in biomolecular science. As for the $2,500 scholarship, Hill knows exactly how she’s going
use it.
“Textbooks are so expensive,” she
said. “So I’m definitely using the $2,500
to buy the books I need for my freshman
year.
Hill’s advice to future DPSCD girls in
the 12th grade, who may be interested in
the Go Red for Women essay contest is,
“Write on something that has impacted
you. However, write on something that
has also impacted others. Don’t write
just to be writing. Write on something
that you’re really passionate about.”

BECOME A
MEMBER TODAY
PISTONS.COM | 248.377.0110

community

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

September 6-12, 2017

Page B-6

Michigan’s low unemployment rate masks
ugly truth. People aren’t looking for work.
By Lindsay VanHulle
Detroit Journalism Cooperative
It’s generally seen as good news
when the state’s unemployment rate
goes down.
Michigan’s unemployment rate fell
again in July to 3.7 percent and has been
at its lowest point since 2000, according
to the state department that tracks it.
That means companies are hiring
more people. Right?
Not exactly.
An underlying problem is that people
are giving up looking for work, harkening back to the deepest depths of the
Great Recession.
In Michigan, people out of the workforce are disproportionately teenagers
between the ages of 16 and 19, and
adults who don’t have a bachelor’s degree, according to American Community
Survey estimates.
The trend is not good news. Its causes are diverse and include a lingering
hangover from the Great Recession,
shifting cultural attitudes toward teenagers working, but it also indicates a
gap between the skills that would-be
workers have and the jobs that employers say are going begging.
From June to July, 7,000 fewer Michiganders were unemployed. The number
of unemployed residents has decreased
for five straight months, according to
the Michigan Department of Technology,
Management and Budget.
Yet they didn’t all find jobs. Total employment fell by 18,000 between June
and July, and another 24,000 people left
the labor force altogether.

Illinois (9.9 percent) and Ohio (9.5 percent).
So who’s not looking for work?
We can draw inferences from looking
at who is. Roughly 61 percent of Michigan residents 16 and older are in the
labor force, according to American Community Survey estimates from 2015, the
most recent available. That’s down more
than 4 percentage points, from 65.2 percent, a decade earlier.
The phenomenon is most pronounced among teens and people without a bachelor’s degree.
People without a high school diploma fare the worst: Just 51.7 percent of
Michigan residents of prime working
age — between the ages of 25 and 64 —
who didn’t graduate from high school
were in the labor force in 2015, according to ACS data. That’s down more than
7 points from 59.2 percent participation
in 2005.
Workforce participation among Michiganders with a diploma but no college
slid from 73.1 percent in 2005 to 67.4
percent in 2015.
Contrast that with Michigan residents with a bachelor’s degree, the only
group to increase labor force participation from 2005 to 2015. Economists and
business leaders have long said that
Michigan needs to increase the number
of residents who have four-year degrees
if the state’s economy will succeed at
transitioning away from a reliance on
manufacturing to more advanced-skill
fields.
Ballard believes Michigan and the
nation may be experiencing lingering
effects from the Great Recession, which
officially ended in June 2009. Among

Best in Black Detroit nominations conclude
with total of nearly 20,000 nominations
Best in Black Detroit nominations
ended with a tremendous bang, with the
number of nominations nearly doubling
during the last few days of the nomination process. In total, nearly 20,000
nominations were submitted by the
community. Only nominees with the
most votes will advance to the final voting round.
Semifinalists will be announced in
the Sept. 13 edition of the Michigan
Chronicle, and the final voting round
will kick off that same day. Visit www.
bestinblackdetroit.com. Your votes
count!
Launched in 2016, Best in Black Detroit was created as a way to celebrate
black-owned businesses in the Detroit
The categories are as follows:

“Michigan’s unemployment rate decreased slightly in July,” said Jason
Palmer, director of the state’s Bureau of
Labor Market Information and Strategic
Initiatives, in a news release this month
about the July data. “However, for the
third consecutive month, the drop in the
rate reflected fewer people in the state’s
labor market actively seeking employment.”
More people are dropping out of
the workforce during an economic expansion that has now stretched into
its eighth year and is nearing record
lengths.
“It is kind of paradoxical right now,
isn’t it?” said Charles Ballard, a Michigan State University economist.
Ballard said he’s curious to see
whether a few months’ worth of data is a
temporary blip or a sign of a longer-term
trend.
The federal government defines the
unemployment rate as the total number
of unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force. People are considered
to be unemployed if they aren’t working,
could work and have searched for a job
within the past four weeks.
People who aren’t working but haven’t looked for a job within the past
month are considered to be out of the
labor force. They’re not counted at all
when it comes to official jobless statistics.
That can have the unintended consequence of making a state’s unemployment picture look rosier than it really is.
Even as Michigan’s official monthly
jobless rate is at its lowest point in 17
years, the state’s total employment and
labor force levels both are down by more
than 300,000 since July 2000, according
to the state’s Bureau of Labor Market Information.
And, it said, the labor force grew slower than the nation’s as a whole in July
compared to the same month a year ago
— 18,000 people, or 0.4 percent.
Michigan’s traditional unemployment
rate of 4.7 percent, calculated between
the third quarter of 2016 and the second quarter of 2017, would spike to 9.5
percent if it included discouraged, marginally attached and part-time workers,
according to data from the U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics.
The bureau publishes a set of alternative unemployment data that factor
in discouraged workers (people who
aren’t in the labor force, want to and
could work but didn’t search for a job
within the past month because they
didn’t think they’d find one), marginally attached workers who didn’t search
for a job in the past month for any reason, and part-time workers who worked
fewer than 35 hours per week, wanted
to work full time but couldn’t find a job
with full-time hours.
When factored this way, Michigan
would be among the 20 states with the
highest expanded jobless rates, a list
that includes Great Lakes neighbors

them is sluggish wage growth, which he
said has puzzled economists because
lower unemployment should put upward pressure on wages. Higher wages
could be one way to lure more people
back to the labor force.
It’s also possible, though difficult to
quantify, that the nation’s opioid epidemic has removed some people from
the workforce, he said.
And Ballard said it could be that a
cultural shift is underway in which teenagers are shunning work, a shift that
may have started during the recession
when unemployed adults took entry-level jobs that traditionally went to teens.
Teenagers also have low levels of educational attainment, he said, which could
be a partial explanation for the big drops
in participation among people without a
high school diploma.
“Social norms are the hardest thing
in the world to quantify,” Ballard said.
Gov. Rick Snyder, in a statement
when the numbers were released, touted the state’s “tremendous comeback”
as reflected in double-digit unemployment rate declines since shortly before
he took office in January 2011.
Snyder often refers to the hundreds
of thousands of private-sector jobs that
have been added during his two-term
tenure — understandably so, because
politicians get credit for a good economy
and blame for a bad one, regardless of
whether they had anything to do with it.
There are good signs in the state’s
numbers. Even as employment lags
2000 levels, year-to-date average employment through July — close to 4.7
million people — is the highest since
2007, the start of the Great Recession.
And total employment has grown every
year since 2010. From June to July, it
fell.
The number of unemployed people
from July 2016 to July 2017 is down
55,000, according to the state’s data.
Still, Snyder’s statement struck a
more tempered tone, given the news
about Michigan’s labor force participation: “There is always more we can do.”
He cited a disconnect between job
providers and the skills that job seekers
have, and said Michigan needs to emphasize skills training in order to close
the talent gap.
Snyder has made increasing skilled
trades training and participation a focus
of his administration.
Still, what does declining participation in the labor force say about the
strength of Michigan’s economic comeback? Does it suggest some kind of underlying weakness in the economy?
“This is why the renewed focus on
making sure people have the skills and
training they need to succeed at getting
jobs is so vital,” Snyder spokesman Ari
Adler said via email. “We are hearing
from employers who cannot find enough
employees — so we must address that
disconnect.”

Best Elected Official
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Bets Clothing Store
Best Tattoo Artist
Best Publicist
Best Wedding Planner/Event Planner
Best Photographer/Videographer
Best Caterer

and Metro Detroit area and highlight
unique individuals in our community
that continue to live up to a standard of
excellence. The community can submit
nominations in a wide range of industries.
“We are very proud to announce that
we have surpassed the number of nominations we received last year. This year,
the community has responded by submitting nearly 20,000 nominations. We
love that the community is engaged and
we are looking forward to announcing
the semifinalists and recognizing the
finalists at the Best In Black Detroit
Awards in October at the Music Hall,”
said Hiram E. Jackson, publisher of the
Michigan Chronicle.
Best Car Wash/ Auto Detailing
Best Hair Salon
Best Hair Stylist
Best Barbershop
Best Barber
Best Car Dealership
Best Clothing Line Designer
Best Retail Business
Best Service Business
Best Instagram Personality
Best News Anchor
Best Event DJ
Best Club Promoter
Best Local Singer
Best Live Band
Best Comedian
Best Gospel/Community Choir
Best Choir Director
Best Pastor
Best Organist
Best Church
Best First Lady

BUSINESS

SECTION C

September 6-12, 2017

Powered by Real Times Media

michiganchronicle.com

Fifth Third
tackles student
loan debt
New app rounds up
spare change to pay
loans off faster
Student loan debt is now
more than $1.3 trillion, with the
average college graduate’s debt
at $37,000.
Fifth Third Bank surveyed
more than 3,000 millennials
and interviewed more than 100
young adults in three markets
across the U.S. and three across
the globe to better understand
their feelings about student
loan debt and finances. This is
what they found:
• Millennials do want the “American Dream” of a house, car, etc.
But they feel it’s out of reach.
• Student loan debt can make
them feel unworthy – of dating,
marriage, etc.
• They are embarrassed to disclose debt amount.
• They do want a solution, but
they want it to fit into their daily
lives.
They don’t want to see their
entire debt amount (it’s depressing) but need small motivation/encouragement along the
way to paying….
The new Fifth Third Momentum app allows users to roundup purchases on their Fifth
Third debit card to pay toward
loans. Customers who choose
to round up using Fifth Third
Momentum can, for example,
apply 55 cents to their designated loan balance when purchasing lunch for $9.45 for a total of
$10. The same customer who
chooses the dollar pay-down
would pay $10.45 for the same
lunch, with $1 of that being applied toward the student loan.
The app will help college
graduates pay off student loans
faster by automating frequent
micropayments toward the balance on student loan accounts.
Fifth Third Bank customers
with a Fifth Third debit card can
link student loans held by over
thirty different servicers to the
app. Once the loan is connected,
customers can choose to round
their debit card purchases up to
the next dollar or add one dollar
to every purchase. Either way,
the extra amount is applied to
the balance on the designated
loan on a weekly basis once
a minimum of five dollars in
round ups is achieved. They can
download the app and set it up
through their smart phone.

Detroit-based Means Group partner
in downtown hotel project
By Ken Coleman
A $32 million redevelopment of the historic Metropolitan Building officially kicked off Aug. 29 in downtown Detroit.
Metropolitan Hotel Partners, Means Group and
Roxbury Group are principals. Eric J. Means and David Di Rita lead those teams.
Mayor Mike Duggan attended the press conference
and is “excited” to see the site redeveloped after being vacant for 38 years.

Customers who choose to
round up using Fifth Third Momentum can, for example, apply
55 cents to their designated loan
balance when purchasing lunch
for $9.45 for a total of $10. The
same customer who chooses
the dollar pay-down would pay
$10.45 for the same lunch, with
$1 of that being applied toward
the student loan.

“Just a few years ago, there was little hope that
this historic building would ever be redeveloped and
now it’s a sign of how far we’ve come as a city,” Duggan said.

Student loan debt totaled
$1.3 billion in 2016.1

“This is going to be one of the grandest hotels in
the city of Detroit,” said Eric J. Means, Means Group
president and CEO, about the building once known as
the Metropolitan Building in the Grand Circus Park
section of the city.

The building will be home to the Starwood Element
Hotel which will feature 110 one-and-two-bedroom
extended-stay hotel rooms. It will also include 2,000
square feet of state-of-the-art meeting space on the
second floor mezzanine and about 7,000 square feet
of retail space on the ground floor and lower level.

“College debt affects our
communities and our economy. This isn’t just a millennial or student issue,” said Greg
Carmichael, president and CEO
of Fifth Third Bancorp. “As a
bank, we need to bring innovative solutions to the market, to
lead the way in helping the next
generation pay off their student

See LOAN DEBT Page C-2

“With that being said, this is going to be a great
opportunity for Detroiters, which is why we are here.”
Means’ firm, a Detroit-based creative land solutions company with more 40 years of combined experience in construction and facilities management,
carried out the historic Garden Theater redevelopment. Other clients include the Kresge Foundation,

in the skilled trades,” Mayor
Duggan declared. “With the
construction boom in our city
likely to last for many years, we
need to train every Detroiter we
can so they can participate in
the city’s comeback.”

Detroit Federation of Teachers President Ivy Bailey is
excited about the revamped
Randolph Career Technical Education Center.
“It’s yet another outstanding
opportunity for our students at
Detroit Public Schools Community District,” she stated. “This
is a historic moment.”
Mayor Mike Duggan, Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti
and a host of business, labor
and community leaders on August 28 launched the newly
improved center. Located on
Detroit’s northwest side, it is
expected to serve hundreds of
children and adults who seek
skilled trades training and career opportunities.
After major classroom renovations, the return of electrical training courses, and

new skilled trades training
programs for adults on the
way, Randolph has been transformed from an outdated vocational high school to a leading,
state-of-the-art skilled trades
training facility. The improve-

ments are part of a partnership between DPSCD, Detroit
Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC), the City of Detroit and Mayor Mike Duggan’s
Workforce Development Board
that has raised $10 million in

funding and in-kind contributions from an array of supporters for improvements to Randolph.
“This institution has a proud
history of preparing Detroit residents for good-paying careers

Courses offered at Randolph
include
carpentry,
masonry, plumbing and pipefitting,
HVAC, computer-aided design
(CAD), heavy equipment simulation and entrepreneurship.
Thanks to the upgrades to the
school, the popular electrical
course will return, as well, after a three-year absence. Jobs
in these trades are currently
in high demand, with new construction projects of all sizes
breaking ground across the
city.
The
120,000-square-foot
institution was constructed
in 1980 and served one of the

See RANDOLPH page B-2

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

September 6-12, 2017

Page C-2

Randolph
From page B-1

school district’s four vocational-technical careers centers. In
recent years, however, the student
enrollment has dipped as funding
to support its programs faded.
But that was then.
Randolph students now will
gain hands-on experience for careers where entry-level positions
range from $13 to $22 per hour.
Experienced journeymen can grow
to earn over $30 per hour. With
support from industry partners,
students will have the opportunity
to learn from local unions, construction contractors, with the potential for paid internships while
in school and apprenticeship programs upon graduation.
At its height, Randolph had an
average enrollment of more than
600 in its programs at any given
time. After several years of disinvestment, however, that number
has dwindled to about 150.

Means Group

From page B-1

Ford Motor Company, Wayne State University, Detroit P
­ ublic Schools, the Toledo Zoo and Marriot hotels.
“Roxbury and the Means Group are
honored to be returning this truly unique
and irreplaceable building to active use,”
said David Di Rita, principal of the Roxbury Group.
“It is particularly gratifying to be restoring a building that so many said
couldn’t be saved, while providing anoth-

er world-class hotel to Detroit’s entertainment district.”
“We look forward to introducing Element to Detroit with this exciting adaptive re-use project that will retain the historic charm of the Metropolitan Building,
while turning it into a sleek and stylish
destination for travelers visiting the Motor City,” Brian McGuiness, senior vice
president of Specialty Select Brands for
Starwood said when the project was an-

nounced last summer.
The Metropolitan Building was designed by the firm Weston & Ellington
and opened on May 25, 1925 on John R
Street between Woodward Avenue and
Broadway. The 14-story neo-Gothic tower
stands like a medieval castle. There had
been talk of demolishing part of the building to contruct a public space, lofts and
offices, but later it was decided that full
restoration would be the best option.

U.S. Dept. of Labor awards SER Metro-Detroit
$1.1 million to train Detroit Youth for construction trades
SER Metro-Detroit, Jobs
for Progress, Inc., was awarded a U.S. Department of
Labor grant in the amount of
$1,100,000.00 to provide opportunity youth ages 18 to 24
with basic skills/academic and
occupational skills training in
the construction field.
SER offers the training for
this grant through the SER
YouthBuild Construction Institute(SYCI), which has received funding from the U.S.
Department of Labor for the
past ten years to operate this
program. SYCI received funding from the U.S. Department
of Labor for the last decade
with over 260 graduates of
the program. Additional highlights from the Department
of Labor funded program include; 236 individuals completing their GED’s or receiving construction certification
and 70 percent of individuals
increasing their literacy levels
within the first three months
of participation.
SER YouthBuild has maintained more than a 70% placement rate and has placed 62
individuals in the construction trades and apprenticeships. With the renewal funding, SYCI will train nearly 70
Detroit youth who will receive
a GED or high school diploma and industry-recognized
credentials
necessary
for

From page C-1

in-demand occupation. The
training will contribute to
the millions of open jobs in
the U.S., including 228,000 in
construction, and 388,000 in
manufacturing.
“SER YouthBuild Construction Institute provides opportunity, a career pathway, education and a commitment to
leadership development that
can alter the trajectory of our
participant’s future,” said SER
Metro-Detroit President and
CEO Eva Garza Dewaesche.

The SER YouthBuild program has maintained a long
term partnership with O’Brien
Construction to complete onthe-job training opportunities
at local housing projects. Participants will also be active
AmeriCorps members during
their time in the program and
will work towards a $1,500
education award for post-secondary education. Over 40
have received the award and
continued to college since
programming began in 2010.

SER Metro-Detroit, Jobs
for Progress, Inc. (SER) is a
community-based
organization that believes in the potential of each individual. For
more than 46 years, SER has
assisted thousands of at-risk
and disadvantaged residents
from across the city of Detroit
and the region in becoming
self-sufficient through quality
employment, education and
training programs.
For more information visit
http://www.sermetro.org.

By Willie E. Brake
As millions of families
prepare for students to head
back to school this month,
it’s important to remember
that there are truly no more
important investments that
the ones we make in our community, our youth and toward
educational opportunities, at
every stage of life and career.

I’ve never forgotten just
how powerfully the educational opportunities I was blessed with shaped my life. At All
About Technology, we know
that the investments we make
in our community, and our
youth pay immeasurable dividends.
That’s why I’m honored to
serve as an employment partner and provides insight from
a marketplace perspective to

“This partnership and others
like it create an undeniable return
on investment for the school district, city, and the next generation
of students and citizens,” stated
DPSCD Superintendent Vitti. “Our
students must be college and career ready and this program allows
that commitment to become a reality. The investment by the mayor
and our business partners is one
we hope to replicate across DPSCD.”
Randolph will serve Detroit students from across the city who
will attend for one half-day, five
days per week. During the afternoons and evenings, the center
will provide skilled trades training
programs for adults. Current high
school students entering grades
10-12 are eligible to enroll in the
half-day program in the morning or afternoon. Transportation
from home high schools is available. Those interested in enrolling
should go to www.RandolphCareerTech.com and submit an online interest form.
Students and their families
are encouraged to attend an open
house event to tour the facility
and view classroom updates. It
will be held at Randolph Career
Tech, 17101 Hubbell, Sept. 6 from
3 to 7 pm.

Loan Debt

All About Technology invests in the community and our youth

I know that firsthand growing up on the west side of Detroit as the second of three
children. We had a lot of love
in our household and a lot of
laughter – but not much else.
I never dreamed I would have
the opportunity to attend college, to say nothing of being
able to afford it. Still, because
I was blessed to meet people
along the way who believed
in my potential and helped
me reach for it, I went on to
become the first in my family
to attend and graduate from
college with an advanced
degree. Without that education, my life would certainly
have taken an altogether more
probable path that the extraordinary one it did.

With the improvements unveiled, DPSCD is embarking on
a push to increase enrollment to
900 students over the three years
of the project. DESC will also push
to enroll 900 adults in the new
adult training programs over the
next three years.

loans faster. Fifth Third Momentum is a simple digital tool to help
pay these debts faster.”
Fifth Third estimates that
customers who round up $25 a
month using the Fifth Third Momentum app could pay off a 20year loan three years sooner and
pay 8 percent less in total by
avoiding interest that would have
accumulated.*
Family members can help, too
Student-loan debt affects more
than the borrower. It has a crippling effect on the economy and
society at large. The burden of
student-loan debt is causing
graduates to delay marriages2and
to delay or reject first-time home
purchases3. Student-loan payments are also preventing many
young workers from being able
to start saving for retirement4,
contributing to a widening generational wealth gap. It also affects
families as more students5 plan
to move back in with their parents to save money after graduation to pay off their debts
That’s why the Fifth Third Momentum app allows graduates’
family members to use the app,
too. They can sign up with their
own Fifth Third debit cards and
connect their purchases to help
their loved ones pay down the
student debt they owe.

help youth, through internships and job shadows gain
meaningful work experience
in the technology industry. I
am committed to my city and
the community that I serve
and I’ve been recognized by
local and national organizations for my achievements and
philanthropic contributions. I
am proud of my efforts to pay
it forward and be of service to.
Having proven talent and competent assistance allows me
to position the company for a
growth trajectory.
As so many of us know, our
earliest work experiences provided the greatest education.
It’s in that first job or internship that we begin to learn
how to succeed and, more importantly, how to fail and try
again. It’s where we begin to
acquire the habits, skills, and
values that guide us for the
rest of our careers.

I know that was true for
me, which is why it is so
meaningful to continue the All
About Technology Summer
Associates Program. Our program gives youth a behind the
scenes look at our operations
and an invaluable on the job
learning experience. It’s a way
of giving young people, often
from diverse of disadvantaged
backgrounds, a foothold for
their future careers.
Throughout the summer,
six remarkable students have
been busy learning from the
leadership team at All About
Technology, assisting customers and helping with key
operations. Above all, they’ve
been gaining credentials to
land their first job – perhaps
even at All About Technology. This program is a proven
pathway into an opportunity
with many previous interns
gaining full-time positions at

All About Technology or one
of our technology business
partners.
So many of these extraordinary, bright young people
share the same kinds of
backgrounds and stories as
me. The enthusiasm they’ve
brought to serving our customers over the summer has
been infectious and inspiring.
I know that the reputation
of All About Technology will
only shine brighter with each
achievement they attain over
the course of their careers. I’m
proud of the knowledge and
education they’ve received
thanks to their time with us.
It’s just another of the many
ways All About Technology is
dedicated to investing in our
community, our young people
and continuing to bridge the
digital divide by making technology affordable and accessible for all.

Fifth Third invested a year to
understand millennials’ needs
and aspirations better, talking
with hundreds of millennials and
surveying thousands. We talked
with millennials in six markets
across the U.S. and three around
the world.
We learned that, when it comes
to banking, and specifically to pay
their student loans, millennials
want a product that is positive,
approachable and celebrates their
wins. They want it available on
an app, and they want it to make
them feel better while saving
them money.
“We wanted to offer a solution that would help people pay
off their student loans faster and
make them feel good while doing
it,” said Melissa Stevens, Fifth
Third Bank’s chief digital officer.
“We aimed at creating an intuitive
solution that was integrated into
their daily lives instead of something that would feel like they
needed to come to us.”

UAW-FORD’s

Section C-3

September 6-12, 2017

Live from New York:
Boys Theater of Detroit!

Ready for New York and the world: Young men representing the Boys Theater of Detroit took a big bite out of the “Big Apple” during a magical five days that
should have a lasting impact on their lives.

Young men expanded their horizons
during an ‘amazing’ five days

By Scott Talley
Special to the Michigan Chronicle
Some of the most famous entertainers to
ever perform including Frank Sinatra, Alicia
Keys, Jay-Z and more have told us that New
York City is a very special place. And now a
group of young men from our community can
make the same claim following five memorable
days in the “Big Apple” during late August.
The young men are members of the Boys
Theater of Detroit and during their amazing,
all-expense-paid visit made possible by UAWFord they spent time at
internationally
known sites including
Rockefeller
Center,
Central Park, Times
Square,
Statue
of
Liberty, Metropolitan
Museum of Art, along
with
the
National
September
11
Memorial and One
World Trade Center.
Other highlights
from the young men’s
wonderful adventure
included
viewing
two
Broadway
productions (“Blue Man Group” and “School
of Rock—The Musical”); taking a cruise in the
New York Harbor, which transported them
around Ellis Island; and, feasting at New York
delis, pizzerias, and restaurants. Throughout
their journey the young men were fully
engaged—body, mind and spirit.
“It was an invigorating new experience,”
said Kari Webb, who just started t h e
10th grade at Cass Tech. “I
was amazed and

astonished that this place is so different from
what I am used to do on a day-to-day basis.
It is an experience that I could have only
had in New York. I want to thank UAW-Ford
for allowing me to travel to a place I always
wanted to go to.”
Kari said his attraction to New York goes
back to when he watched a “Spider-Man”
movie when he was seven or eight years old.
An honor roll student with aspirations of being
a video game designer or movie producer,
Kari indeed has a bright future ahead and
his mom, Jennez Webb, believes his New
York experience will be most valuable as Kari
pursues all of his dreams.
“I was happy that
the boys were able to
travel out of town and
go somewhere they
have never been, while
representing their city
and group,” Jennez
Webb said. “And they
won’t have that fear
about doing something
new, or doing big
things, because they
went outside the box.“
It can be said that the
experience was a double
blessing for Jennez given that her 10-year-old
son Karim also made the trip.
“I thought it was an awesome opportunity
and I’m glad they were both able to take part in
it, along with all the boys,” Jennez Webb said.
“I just want my children to be a part of
something positive.”

For King Moore, visiting New York was not
a first-time experience. His mom, jessica Care
moore, just happens to be a celebrated poet,
playwright, performance artist and producer,
who has brought positivity and inspiration to
many places around the globe, including New
York. However, making a trip to New York
with the Boys Theater of Detroit was quite a
bit different for young King, and he is most
grateful for the experience.
“I want to say thank you so much because
it was a great opportunity to do this,” said King
Moore, who will turn 11-years-old on Sept. 9.
“It was very fun and entertaining every single
minute and hour.”
King, who was inspired to start his own
Super Cool Poetry Open Mic Series for
children 12 and under, after attending many
of his mother’s events, said traveling with the
Boys Theater of Detroit group allowed him to
do something equally important—bond with
new friends.
“I made many new friends,” said King
Moore, who even listed the eight-plus hour
one-way bus ride from Detroit to New York
among the special moments of the trip, along
with the cruise, plays and the Statue of Liberty,
which was even larger than he expected.
“Everything was really fun. It was just great for
us to go on a trip to New York together—it was
amazing!”
King’s acclaimed mom was amazed too
and equally thankful for all that occurred
during the special five days in New York.
“I was really proud and happy, and I love
the strong presence that the boys had too,”
said jessica Care moore, who presents the first
letters of her first and last name in lowercase
as a tribute to the respected author and social
activist bell hooks.
jessica Care moore, who had a previously
scheduled New York engagement that
coincided with the Boys Theater of
Detroit trip added: “I want to give
a shout out to UAW-Ford, (Oliver)
Pookrum and Ny’Ree Hardyway

(Boys Theater of Detroit assistant director).
Our babies, our young men, our girls too, we
need programs like this to show them they are
global citizens. The group is about theater,
but the trip was about other things too. It was
about manhood, and responsibility, and being
without your parents. It was a beautiful trip—
amazing!”

Remembering Tommy Flanagan: Detroit kid later played
with musical ‘giants’
During Labor Day weekend Detroit once
again hosted the Detroit Jazz Festival, the
world’s largest free jazz festival. Free does
not always necessarily mean good, but music
lovers know the Detroit Jazz Festival is good—
really good!
Along with being a showcase for a variety
of styles and approaches to music that loosely fit under the “jazz” tent, the Detroit Jazz
Festival also serves as a reminder of Detroit’s
rich contributions to jazz, and that legacy includes legendary jazz pianist Tommy Flanagan (March 16, 1930 – November 16, 2001).
Young musicians in our community today
should be proud to be following a path taken
by artists like Flanagan, who was born in Detroit and began studying the clarinet at age 6
and started piano lessons when he was 11.
Long before the Motown Sound, the Detroit
that Flanagan grew up in was so rich in jazz
talent that a musician could live in our city
and still have an opportunity to perform with
some of the greatest artists in the world at local clubs like the famous Blue Bird Inn.
By the time Flanagan moved to New York
in 1956, he had much to offer the music
world. That same year he would accompany
the great voice of Ella Fitzgerald for the first
time, which began a near 20-year collaboration for the two superlative artists. During that
time Flanagan also served as Fitzgerald’s music director. In addition to his association with
Fitzgerald, Flanagan also worked for Tony
Bennett and was an accompanist on many
iconic jazz records, including John Coltrane’s
“Giant Steps” and Sonny Rollins’ “Saxophone
Colossus.” Later in his career Flanagan was
celebrated as an individual artist.
The respected jazz critic Garry Giddins
once said Flanagan had “perfected his own
niche, a style beyond style, where the only
appropriate comparisons are between his
inspired performances and those that are
merely characteristic.” And before Flanagan
earned this kind of well-deserved praise, he
was a youngster in Detroit taking clarinet and
piano lessons, which is why his contributions
to music should always be celebrated in our
city.

Team effort propels Denby in
season-opening victory
Denby had to wait a week longer to start the
football season than many teams in the area,
but once the Tars’ campaign began they
were more than ready, as they posted a 20-8
victory at Chandler Park on Aug. 31. Standouts for Denby included Armani White, who
rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown; Jermaine Trammell and LaGregory Virger, who
combined for five sacks; and, quarterback
Cameron Waddell, who gained 68 all-purpose yards and rushed for a touchdown.
The “Best of Young Detroit” thanks assistant
coach Donald Young for providing us with
a wonderful recap of Denby’s opener. Following are some of the other top local performances during Week 2 games:

Helped by former PSL stars,
U-M takes bite out of Gators

TD in the Trailblazers’ 52-0 victory against
Southeastern.
Isaiah Foreman, Delta Prep, registered
nine tackles, forced a fumble and scored
on a 69-yard reception against Royal Oak
Shrine.
Antonio Green, Henry Ford, rushed for
95 yards, gained 70 receiving yards and
scored four TDs against Melvindale AB&T.
Aaron Jackson, Cass Tech, passed
for 113 yards and a TD, and rushed for
75 yards and a score, in a 17-12 victory
against Chicago Simeon.
El Julian Jordan, Central, passed for
450 yards and four TDs against Southeastern.

Robert Beatty III, Delta Prep, passed
for 312 yards and three TDs in a 33-7
victory against Royal Oak Shrine.

Malik Rocks, Delta Prep, scored three
TDs, including a 69-yard interception
return against Royal Oak Shrine.

Deondre’ Carter-Jones, Renaissance,
rushed for two TDs in a 22-16 victory
against Western.
Brandon Cooper, Central, registered 10
tackles and two sacks and rushed for a

Looking good and playing well: The PSL was well represented in U-M’s opening game
victory against Florida Among the players that made special plays in the Wolverine’s special
uniforms was true freshman Ambry Thomas out of King High School.
Michael
Onwenu,
U-M/Cass Tech, the
sophomore right guard
made his first career
start on offense and
was a part of an impressive Michigan offensive
line that helped the Wolverines gain 215 yards
on the ground.

On Labor Day weekend, the University of
Michigan football team donned special allmaize uniforms to open the season, and
then the Wolverines produced an equally
special performance to defeat the Florida
Gators, 33-17, in Arlington, Texas. Former
Detroit Public School League standouts
contributed to Michigan’s big win in all areas of the game. The U-M contributors with
PSL roots included:
Khalid Hill, U-M/East
English Village, the versatile senior carried the
ball a couple of times
out of the backfield
and provided some
powerful blocks that
helped to unleash a
strong Michigan rushing attack.

Michael Onwenu

Lavert Hill, U-M/
Martin Luther King, the
sophomore DB was
stellar registering four
solo tackles, including
one tackle for loss.
He also broke up two
passes, while helping
to anchor the back
half of the Michigan
defense.

Donovan Peoples-Jones

Donovan
Peoples-Jones, U-M/Cass
Tech, the true freshman
calmly handled the
punt-returning duties
without a hitch, returning five punts for 40
yards, including a long
return of 18 yards.

Ambry Thomas, U-M/
Martin Luther King, the
true freshman registered one of the game’s
most impactful plays
as a part of the Michigan special teams unit
when he forced and
recovered a fumble on
kickoff coverage to give
the Wolverines the ball
in the red zone at 11:47
in the third quarter.

Your Feedback Matters
The “Best of Young Detroit” welcomes feedback
from our community. Please submit story
suggestions and other comments
to Scott Talley at
stalleyassociates@gmail.com
or 313-590-3686.

business

THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

September 6-12, 2017

Page C-5

Detroit start-ups blend honey into tasty treats

Nationally acclaimed Bon Bon Bon to reveal new honey infused bon at fundraising event
Bees in the D, a nonprofit dedicated to the health of honeybee colonies
and the education of their importance
to our environment, is teaming up with
other Detroit start-ups for a one-of-akind fundraising event that features
tasty treats created with fresh honey
exclusively harvested in Detroit.
The event is hosted by nationally
acclaimed artisan chocolate company Bon Bon Bon at their new flagship
5,000-square-foot production facility
and store at 11360 Joseph Campau
Ave. in Hamtramck on Saturday, Sept.
16, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is
$35 per person.
Internationally trained artisan chocolatiers will craft one-of-a-kind bons
with Bees in the D honey harvested
from two rooftop hive installations
at Bon Bon Bon. They currently use
Bees in the D honey in several of its
products. It is anticipated that about
100,000 honeybees will create up to 80
pounds of honey annually at Bon Bon
Bon.
During the event, Bon Bon Bon will
debut a new, exclusive Bees in the D
honey bon. Participants will have the
opportunity to create custom Bon Bon
Bon chocolates, extract fresh honey
from Bon Bon Bon’s rooftop bee hives,
sample organic cotton candy from Spun
Sugar Detroit, enjoy fruit and dessert
sushi from Geisha Girls, and adult
punch from Detroit City Distillery. Each
ticket purchased will include a box of
six bons. Proceeds will benefit Bees in
the D and help continue its educational
programs for children and adults.
Tickets to the Bon Bon Bon/Bees in
the D Honey Harvest event can be purchased online or at the event for $35
each.
Founded by elementary school
teacher Brian Peterson-Roest in April

By Ida Byrd-Hill

2016, Bees in the D’s mission is the education, conservation and promotion of
urban beekeeping. With 29 total active
hive installations in metro Detroit on
rooftops, vacant lots, parking garages
and more, Bees in the D and its estimated 1.3 million bees can produce an
estimated 2,300 pounds of fresh honey
annually. Hive installations can also be
found in Detroit at Cobo Center, Detroit
City Distillery, and Michigan Urban
Farming Initiative, among other locations.
“Through Bees in the D we hope
to provide ongoing education of honey bees and their important contributions to our environment,” said Peterson-Roest. “Honeybees are important to
our daily lives. They pollinate the fruits
and vegetables we eat, herbs we use to
season our foods and much more.”
Since 2014, Bon Bon Bon has gained
national recognition as a Martha Stewart American Made Award finalist.
Forbes named its founder, Alexandra
Clark, on its 2016 “30 Under 30 Food
& Drink” list.
Based in Hamtramck with a store
also in Detroit, fresh bons are made
daily using a blend of classic French
technique with Detroit ingenuity, local
ingredients, and artistic interpretation.
Bon Bon Bon has more than 200 rotating flavors ranging from classic to
bizarre, familiar to exotic, all-candy to
all-chocolate. Blending several types of
chocolates, jams and unexpected ingredients such as potato chips, candied
ham, hot sauce and more, each bon
packs two bites of big bon flavor.
Preorders of Bees in the D honey are
now available to purchase online in 6
oz. and 16 oz. options. For more information about Bees in the D including
upcoming events, merchandise and
more, visit www.beesinthed.com.

Labor Skating Towards the Future?

The American Psychological Association “Stress in America” report states
Americans have named MONEY their top
source of stress for the last six years in
a row. Those in poverty have stress levels equal to veterans who were at war.
The impact of financial stress on
Business and educational institutions
is enormous. Financial stress is costing
employers a minimum of 298 billion dollars a year in productivity and profits. Fi-

nancial stress creates behavioral issues
in classrooms making it more difficult
to teach children in poverty.
Researchers have found that increased financial literacy reduces financial stress, improves productivity and
improves employee training. THE PROBLEM: The people who need financial literacy most do not seek it. Automation
can speed up financial literacy engagement and training.
In 2015, Uplift, Inc.. based in Detroit
embarked on building a Robo-Financial

Wellness Coach, a series of mobile video game, to automate financial literacy
and gain insight into the gamer’s behavior. Building the software for commercialization proved to be complicated on
a shoestring budget.

In 2017, the woman-owned MBE hired
a staff of developers, specializing in Artificial Intelligence, to build modules onto
a simple game until the Robo-Financial
Wellness Coach is complete.
Byrd-Hill encourages gamers to
check My Jewel Empire, a match three

puzzle game where players attempt to
acquire more gemstones and coins than
their colleagues to end game with LARGEST jewel empire.
The game is currently available on in
an Android version with the iPhone version becoming available in two weeks.
Uplift Inc. is exposing parents to future technology to empower them with
the skills necessary to acquire high paying high demand income opportunities,
which lays the foundation to a full throttled prosperous economy.

The nomination phase has ended and you
showed up and showed out… submitting nearly

20,000
NOMINATIONS

Semi-finalists will be announced soon
Stay tuned…..

VOTING BEGINS SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

bestinblackdetroit.com

City. Life. Style.
Where City Meets Life and Life Meets Style

D1 | September 6-12, 2017

michiganchronicle.com

Beth:

Reflections
By Steve Holsey

Brave,
beautiful
and ‘Free’

Maybe the best of
both worlds
We all know that people are
people, that underneath the
skin it’s all the same. Still, it is
interesting to note how many
celebrities from the worlds of
entertainment and sports are of
mixed parentage, in most cases
African American and Caucasian.
For starters, there is Drake,
Lenny Kravitz, Halle Berry,
Keyshia Cole, the DeBarge
family, Dwayne Johnson (“the
Rock”), Paula Patton, Kimona
Lee Simmons, Boris Kodjoe,
Faith Evans, Amber Rose, Jesse
Williams and Jasmine Guy.

Savion Glover

Alicia Keys

By Roz Edward

Drake

Paula Patton

Then you could add Alicia
Keys, Shemar Moore, Tiger
Woods, Lisa Bonet, Jussie
Smollett, Mariah Carey, Sade,
Derek Jeter, Savion Glover, Mya
Rudolph, Vin Diesel, Rashida
Jones, Colin Kaepernick, J.
Cole, Jordin Sparks and Hines
Ward.
KENYA MOORE, who was
born in Detroit, is identified
as an actress,
model and
several other
things, but her
real claim to
fame revolves
around reality television
Kenya Moore “bombast”
and conflict. Some use the “B”
word to describe her. One of
her adversaries, Vivica A. Fox,
described her explosive Kenya
Moore experience as “surviving
Kenyagate.”

“What I work hard at doing is staying
on a path of being kind and showing and
proving that I’m a good person to society.
That’s hard. The talent, that’s a gift. I just
came here like that.” — Erykah Badu

as a featured lead and background vocalist.

Just off a riveting performance for
the Freedom Hill White Party, where she
shared the stage and performed with KEM
and Marsha Ambrosius, the artist known
as Beth surprised the audience with a
show-stopping performance of her latest
release, “Free,” from the album of the
same name.

However, this Motown chanteuse’s
talents span the gamut from singing to
acting, with a peppering of behind-thescenes performances, including television commercials and voice-overs. There
are few undertakings she’s not willing
to tackle. Earlier this year, Beth won
the lead role of Mary in the gripping film
“Patience, A Twisted Love Story” and appeared as herself in the 2015 production
of “Davi Davenport Live,” an introspective
on the lives of celebrities and personalities around the country.

Having been a background singer for
the soulful balladeer for four years, and
working and touring with Anita Baker for
half a decade prior to joining up with KEM,
Beth is no novice to the music industry.
The artist shared the stage at the “Tribute
to Motown” show at Carnegie Hall, alongside Dionne Warwick, Anita Baker, Martha
Reeves, Melba Moore, Boyz II Men, Dennis
Edwards, BeBe Winans and Paul Shaffer

Beth is quick to talk about her most
cherished acting gig, where she performed
with the iconic Whitney Houston — whom
she refers to as her idol — in the hit movie
“Sparkle.” She cheerfully reports that she
relishes the time she spent on the set of
“Sparkle.” Being selected for the rare opportunity to work with one of the greatest
musical legends of all time, and holding
her own as the star’s stand-in, is no small

feat and adds heft to a performer’s portfolio.
“There was a scene where you didn’t
see my face, you saw the back of me, but
I did get the chance to wear her clothes,
and that was cool,” she confides girlishly, which, by the way, is one of her most
endearing qualities. She is a genuinely
kind and considerate woman, a rare thing
in the sometimes cutthroat and vicious
world of show business. But don’t think
for a moment or confuse her generous
spirit with naïveté. This girl is no newcomer to the exclusive club of celebrated
performers.
This statuesque ingénue hails from
music royalty. She is a seasoned singer,
songwriter and actress, and a real life
prodigy. Having started her singing career
as a child, Beth is the daughter of pianist
and keyboardist Johnny Griffith.
Griffith was one of the few classically trained members of Motown’s inhouse studio band that played such a

See BETH Page D-2

Moore’s latest drama involves
her June 2017 marriage to
businessman Marc Daly. Many
of the lovely lady’s detractors,
most by way of social media,
have accused Moore of being in
a “sham” marriage for the sake
of publicity.
Moore is furious, stating
bluntly, “My marriage and my
life will not be made a mockery of. Enough is enough. I’m
fighting back,” adding, “I always
have the last laugh.”
She didn’t say how she will
fight back or how the last laugh
will be hers.

BEST IN BLACK

Fantasia
FANTASIA is one of the
industry’s most electrifying live
performers. Her stage presence
is awesome, as was the case at
the recent Cincinnati Music Festival. The only time she loses
me is when she switches from
singing to “screaming.”
The season three “American
Idol” winner got laughs and
then applause at the festival
when she said to the audience,
“I didn’t come here to be cute
for you. In just a minute, these
shoes will come off. I come
here to give you your money’s
worth.”
ONE OPTION people almost
always have is to change their
mind, and whether or not they
give a reason is up to them.

See Reflections Page D-2

Tommey Walker, Detroit Vs Everybody
By Lee Watson
“Detroit Vs Everybody brand embodies the pride and unapologetic spirit of
our beloved Detroit. Designed with love
and crafted with care by Tommey Walker,
consider the DVE brand your official welcoming committee. We are the city; take
us with you…”
That is the welcome you get upon entering the Detroit Vs Everybody website.
As the city of Detroit goes through a
renaissance, Detroit Vs Everybody has
become something of a campaign. It is
a slogan, a brand, a song and a lifestyle.
Walker won in the Michigan Chronicle’s 2016 Best in Black Detroit “Best
Clothing Store” category. The graphic
designer started the brand in 2012, out
of frustration on how Detroit was being
portrayed in the media. He wanted to
combat the negativity and use his energy

to contribute to promoting positivity for
his hometown.
“To win Best in Black Detroit means
more than I can put into words. To be
chosen by our people to represent our
people is an honor like no other,” said
Walker.
The Detroit Vs Everybody brand has
gone from a show of pride for Detroiters
to collaborations with the NBA, MBL,
NFL, NHL and, most recently, Faygo, as
well as gaining international popularity
with reach as far as Australia, Japan and
East Africa.
There are no paid endorsers for the
Detroit Vs Everybody brand. However,
there is never a shortage of celebrities
representing it. Puff Daddy licensed Bad
Boy Vs Everybody for his Bad Boy Family
Reunion Tour which included 19 pop-up
shops on tour stops.

crucial role in the development of the Motown
sound. His achievements
include performances on
such claasic Motown hits
as the Supremes’ “Stop
in the Name of Love,” the
Temptations’ “Ain’t too
Proud to Beg” and the
Four Tops’ “I Can’t Help
Myself,” among many others.
“There was always
music in the house,”
said Beth. “My dad was
one of the original Funk
Brothers, so I grew up
with them being at the
house and making music.
I was really young, and
didn’t fully realize what I
was in the midst of, but I
knew this was something
I wanted to do. Singing is
like breathing to me.”
Beth admits that although her famous father was opposed to her
pursuing a musical career, she naturally gravitated to it and began her
studies while in school.
Which is when she discovered she suffered from
paralyzing stage fright. “It
was to the point where I
would get sick and pass
out,” she recalls. But like
every other challenge
she’s been confronted
with, Beth soldiered on
to overcome her fear and
has since performed for
presidents Obama and
Trump. With the release
of her new album, “Free,”
she is moving to another
level.
Critics
are
calling
Beth’s latest musical excursions “visionary” and
the best work she’s done
to date. Her sound is effortless, uplifting and inspiring. She doesn’t shy
from taking chances and
giving her vocal chords
a real workout when the
song or the audience
calls for it.
Beth’s next highly anticipated
performances
are in Los Angeles on
Sept. 23 where she’ll appear at the Hard Rock
Café, and the following
day at the HAL Awards
“Legends of Soul Concert” at the Beverly Hills
Hotel.

Eminem, Big Sean, Royce da 5’9”,
Danny Brown, Trick Trick and Dej Loaf
got together and created the Detroit
anthem “Detroit Vs Everybody” for the
2014 Shady XV compilation album in
which each rapper expressed love for
their Detroit hometown.
While Tommey Walker has found

From page D-1
much success with his Detroit Vs Everybody stores in the Metro Detroit area,
there aren’t any plans to expand brick
and mortar to other markets.
Detroit Vs Everybody has locations in
Fairlane Mall, Greektown, Eastern Market and Southfield.

Reflections

From page D-1

Back when he was 79 years old,
Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the last surviving
original member of the Four
Tops, said that
when he turned
80 he would
stop performing.

that lawsuit, and why single out Coca-Cola?

Well, he’ll be
82 in December
(he looks great!)
and he’s still on
stage with current partners
Ronnie McNeir,
Roquel Payton
(son of original Duke Fakir
member Lawrence Payton) and Harold Bonhart.

After an amazing 47 years, Larry
Dodson, lead singer of the Bar-Kays,
is retiring and a replacement is being
sought. “Everybody has a journey,” said
Dodson who is writing an autobiography titled “And the Band Plays On.”

The Four Tops were among the few
Motown artists who chose to remain
in Detroit when Motown moved to the
West Coast in the early 1970s.
In recalling the decision to not go,
Fakir said, “We actually went out to Los
Angeles, just to be sure. We knew we
didn’t want to leave, but went out and
looked around, looking at houses, having big discussions among ourselves.
But we decided we wanted to stay in
Detroit where our families are. I’m glad
we did. I’ve had a great life in Detroit.”
STRANGE but true: Two Washington, DC ministers have filed a lawsuit
against Coca-Cola and the American
Beverage Association, accusing them
of “deceptive marketing” because the
popular beverages contribute to “an
epidemic of diabetes, cardiovascular
disease and a range of other degenerative diseases in the black and Latino
communities.”

They are not likely to get far with

Speaking of lawsuits, a non-original
member of Frankie Beverly & Maze,
Frank Walker, was let go in May but is
suing because his picture is still used
on concert advertisements, plus he
says he has not received proper compensation for record sales.

BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW…that for
a brief time in 1962, Florence Ballard
traveled with the Marvelettes as a
replacement for Wanda Young who was
out on maternity leave. The Supremes
had not made it big yet.
MEMORIES: “More Love” (Smokey
Robinson & the Miracles), “Save the
Last Dance for Me” (the Drifters), “No
More Tears” (Anita Baker), “Get it
Together” (the Jackson 5), “Call Me”
(Skyy), “I’ll Go Crazy” (James Brown),
“Electric Avenue” (Eddy Grant).
BLESSINGS to Cornelius Fortune,
Montez Miller, LaWanda Gray, Duane
Parham, Anthony Neely, Huel Perkins,
Larry Demps and Georgella Muirhead.

At Your Finger Tips!

WORDS OF THE WEEK, from an
anonymous source: “When you tell
the truth, you will almost always anger
some people or even make enemies, but
don’t worry about it. Keep telling the
truth.”

641 Beaubien St, Detroit | (313) 962-9548
Located in the heart of the historic Bricktown District, the bar
known for a solid happy hour has recently taken it one step further with an extended “3-5-7 Happy Hour” until 9 pm. $3 wine and
all beer including draft. $5 Titos, Jack, Crown Royal and Jameson. $7 Grey Goose, Ciroc, Patron and Makers Mark
Hours: 5 to 9 pm Tuesday through Friday with extended happy
hour until 11 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays.

731 St. Antoine St., Detroit | (313) 963-1090
Located in the heart of downtown Detroit, Flood’s Bar & Grille
has been serving up some of the city’s best drinks and soul food
since 1987. Flood’s happy hour is a go-to for locals and visitors
to the city. Drink specials, Bar bites including specials on lamb
chops, shrimp and chicken wings.
Hours: 4 to 8 pm. Monday through Friday

2233 Park Ave., Detroit | (313) 963-4040
This Art Deco masterpiece of a martini bar, in the historic Lodent
Building, known for its curated martini list. All martinis are $5
during happy hour, including a discounted tapas menu including
calamari, fish tacos and sliders.
Hours: 4 to 7 pm. Monday through Friday.

DIGITAL DAILY

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MRS. LINN

BORN GIFTED READER
The 7th Daughter without asking you a single word. I will
tell you what you want to know. Tell your present, past
and future. Tell you who your friends and enemies are.
Why you’re so unlucky. If your loved one is true or false.I
will advise you all problems of life, such as love, marriage, business and health, etc. Why suffer, you can be
free from all troubles. I guarantee Sucess where others
failed. I am superior to any other reader you have seen.
Don’t let distance keep you away from Health and Happiness. Hrs. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Daily and Sunday.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
PUBLIC NOTICE
DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS
ENTERPRISE GOAL FOR
FFY 2018-2020
The Detroit Transportation Corporation
(DTC) operating the People Mover hereby
announces its Disadvantaged Business
Enterprise (DBE) Program goal under
guidelines of 49 CFR Part 26 and the
regulations and directions of the U. S.
Department of Transportation (DOT) and
the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
DTC announces the establishment of the
FFY 2018-2020 goal of 1.12 % based on
relative availability of service capable DBE
providers. This goal has been set based on
information currently available. The rationale
for this goal and supporting information
regarding DTC’s DBE program will be
available for public inspection at the Detroit
Transportation Corporation offices located
at: 535 Griswold, Floor 4, Detroit, Mi.
48226. These documents are available for
inspection between the hours of 8:30 am
and 3:30 pm Monday-Friday for thirty (30)
days following the publication of this notice.
DTC and the FTA/DOT will accept comments
on DTC’s DBE goal and DTC’s DBE program
for 45 days from the date of this publication.
Comments should be sent to the attention of:
DBE Liaison Officer, DTC535 Griswold,
Floor 4, Detroit, Mi. 48226.
Detroit Transportation Corporation
Title VI Notice to the Public
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits
discrimination on the basis of race, color or
national origin to programs and activities
receiving Federal financial assistance. The
Detroit Transportation Corporation (DTC)
works to offer public transportation service
that is free of discriminatory practices and
actions for all patrons of the Detroit People
Mover.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
MIKE DUGGAN
MAYOR, CITY OF DETROIT
ADVERTISEMENT
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS/PROPOSALS
FOR
ARCHITECTURAL/ENGINEERING SERVICES
FOR THE
FACILITY ASSESSMENT
OF THE
HISTORIC WATER BOARD BUILDING
735 RANDOLPH STREET
DETROIT, MI 48226
FOR THE
DETROIT WATER & SEWERAGE DEPARTMENT
(DBA #19-0003)

For more information on the Detroit
Transportation Corporation’s civil rights
program and procedures to file a complaint,
contact:

DESCRIPTION OF WORK: Work to include site excavation,
demolition, architectural, and effected trades.

The Order of the Fishermen Ministry
Head Start (TOFHMS) Program, Inc. seeks
to hire a qualified Purchasing Specialist/
Bookkeeper to provide support to the Fiscal
Department of the organization. The services will include Record Cash and Checks
(A/R) received into the Agency approved
financial systems/accounting software,
reconciliation of Bank Deposits (A/R) with
the Accounts Receivables Ledger, entering
Accounts Payable Invoices into the Agency approved financial systems/accounting
software and entering and maintaining the
vendor list within the Agency approved financial systems/accounting software and
reconciles Bank Statements
Qualifications:
At least two years of college education,
five years’ experience working with federal/
state/city grants and/or contracts. Financial
Software experience preferred.
Please send proposal for services to Ms.
Donyale Stephen-Atara, Human Resources Specialist at donyale.stephen-atara@
tofmhs.org not later than Monday, September 11, 2017

IT PAYS TO
ADVERTISE
IN THE
MICHIGAN
CHRONICLE

ADVERTISEMENT TO BID
PROPOSALS ARE INVITED FOR a single contract for a Basement
Waterproofing, Emergency Egress concrete steps / retaining
walls Construction as well as construction of a new sump pump
and Miscellaneous Repairs including Masonry tuck-pointing and
Painting at 3360 Charlevoix Ave., Detroit, Michigan 48207, until
2:00 p.m. on September 15, 2017, the owner’s Representative will
receive sealed proposals for work as herein set forth in the offices
of Franklin-Wright Settlements, Inc., at which time and place all
proposals will be publicly opened and read aloud.

ARCHITECT: FONATH ARCHITECTS & CONSULTANTS, LLC
400 Monroe, Suite #237
Detroit, Michigan 48226
Telephone: (248) 878-4596
Contractors desiring to bid shall demonstrate the following
qualifications, at least five years’ experience in the relative trades,
licensed as required by state or local law. Insurance: general
liability and auto liability, with the City of Detroit and Franklin
Wright Settlements named as additional insured and workers
compensation.
Bid Packs will be available for pick-up at Fonath Architects &
Consultants, LLC., 400 Monroe, Suite #237, Detroit, Michigan
48226 [ (248) 878-4596], after 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday September
5, 2017. All Bidders shall be required to deposit a non-refundable
fee of $45.00 per set.
Bidders are responsible for the cost of reproduction of bid documents
at the time of bid documents pick up. A Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting
and Examination of the premises is scheduled at the Project Site on
Friday September 8, 2017 at 10:00am.
All interested parties are invited to attend. The owner reserves the
right to waive any irregularity in any bid or reject any or all bids
should it be redeemed in its best interest. Funding for this project
is provided through the City of Detroit, Neighborhood Opportunity
Fund Administered by the City of Detroit, Planning and Development
Department. The successful contractor(s) will be required to comply
with the federal laws governing equal employment opportunity, with
the prevailing wage requirements of the Federal Labor Standards
Act which also incorporates Davis- Bacon Act Requirements will
have to be cleared and approved by the City of Detroit and comply
with the Mayor’s Executive Order No. 2016-1 employment of local
labor on publicly funded construction and demolition projects as
follows:
Per Executive Order No. 2016-1 Worker Hours on any
construction project funded in whole or in part by City, State
or Federal funds shall be performed by not less than 50%
bonafide Detroit residents, not less than 25% minorities,
and at least 5% women. Where possible, these percentages
shall be applied on a craft-by-craft basis. For purposes of
Executive Order No. 2016-1 worker hours shall include work
performed by persons filling apprenticeship an on-the-job
training positions.

Software Architect

Visteon Corporation is seeking a Software
Architect in Van Buren Twp., MI, to define
software architecture for the platform; review
and approve platform requirements; review
and approve component design and APIs;
support platform roadmap definition and
planning activities, among other duties.
Bachelor’s degree in computer science,
computer engineering or electronics, and ten
years of experience in the job offered or in a
related occupation. For confidential
consideration, please apply online at
www.visteon.com/careers/. Please respond to
Job Requisition Number 17-0055. EOE.

Respondents submitting qualifications may be required to make
an oral presentation(s) to designated City representatives. The
issuing office, if required, will schedule such oral presentation(s).
The Respondent must pay any travel costs incurred for such
presentations.

No response to this Request for Qualifications/Proposal may be
withdrawn for at least 120 days after the actual opening of the
qualifications/proposals. The DBA reserves the right to waive any
irregularity in any qualifications/proposals, and to reject any or all
qualifications/proposals, should it be deemed in its best interest. If
additional information is needed regarding this RFQ, please contact
Tyrone Clifton of the DBA at (313) 224-5504.

Visteon Corporation is seeking a Software
Development Engineer 3 (Product Owner) in Van
Buren Twp., MI, to represent the customer,
interface and engage the customer
(PDTL/Program Manager/PSL/OEM);; create and
manage software Feature Implementation Plan
with product level plan;; create and maintain the
Software Product Backlog, among other duties.
Master’s degree in computer engineering,
electrical engineering, information technology or
related and four years of experience in the job
offered or in a related software engineering
occupation. For confidential consideration,
please apply online at www.visteon.com/careers/.
Please respond to Job Requisition Number 17-­
0052. EOE.

The Respondent may only submit one response to this Request
for Qualifications/Proposals. Participation in more than one
submittal team will result in rejection of all responses by that
Respondent.

Bidders are required to furnish a bid guarantee equal to (5%) of their
bid; the Bid guarantee shall be in the form of either a bid bond or a
certified check, made out to Franklin-Wright Settlements, Inc.
The successful bidder is required to furnish payment (Labor and
Materials) and performance bonds in the amount covering the
faithful performance of the contract and the payment of all obligations
arising thereunder, in the amounts 100% of their contracts, executed
by a surety acceptable to the owner and which is licensed to do
business in the State of Michigan. The contractor shall be required to
comply with the “Section 3 Clause” (24 CFR Part 135). All contracts
(subcontracts) shall include the Section 3 Clause. The lowest, most
qualified bidder will be considered.

Page D-4

The DBA will receive the responses, as herein set forth, in the offices
of the Detroit Building Authority, Tyrone Clifton, Director, 1301 Third
Street, Suite 328, Detroit, Michigan 48226. Qualifications shall be
endorsed “Proposal for Architectural/Engineering Services, DWSD
Historic Water Board Building Facility Assessment” and submitted
not later than 2:00 P.M., Detroit time, on Friday, September 15,
2017, and will subsequently be evaluated to select a firm for a
professional services agreement. A processing fee of twenty-five
dollars ($25.00), cashier’s check or money order, payable to the
Detroit Building Authority must be paid prior to the submission
of qualifications.

Written responses are requested from interested respondents
(“Respondents”) to this request for qualifications and proposals. The
purpose of this request is to procure Architectural and Engineering
Services from interested professional firms on behalf of the City
of Detroit Building Authority (the “DBA”), for the Assessment,
Renovations, and Improvements of the Historic Water Board Building
735 Randolph Street Detroit, MI 48216, as more fully described in this
Request for Qualification/Proposals (RFQ/P).

DTC’s Human Resources Division is
responsible for receiving complaints by any
person who believes he or she has been
subjected to discrimination in the delivery
of or access to public transportation service
on the basis of race, color or national origin.
Any such complaints must be filed in writing
directly by the party within 90 days after
the date of the alleged discrimination. All
complaints will be reviewed promptly and
with confidentiality. If a Title VI violation is
found to exist, remedial steps as appropriate
and necessary will be taken immediately.
DTC does not sanction discrimination based
upon age, gender or disability, and will also
take action to ensure meaningful access
to services, programs and activities for our
ridership.

Cordozia Johnson, Jr.
On Monday, Aug. 28, services for Cordozia Johnson, Jr. were held at Living Bread Ministries – West
Gate Church with Apostle Kenneth D. Hogan officiating. Mr. Johnson passed away on Aug. 19, 2017.
Cordozia Johnson, Jr. was born in Union County,
South Carolina, to Cordozia Johnson, Sr. and Ethel
Johnson, the third of six children.
He was educated in South Carolina and Detroit public schools.
He moved to Detroit in 1953
where he found employment
with General Motors. He married Dayse Bernice Giles and
they had two children, John
Eric Johnson and Terry Allan
Johnson.

Greater New Hope MBC celebrates pastor’s 22nd anniversary
Rev. Dr. Dennis E. Lions, Pastor of The Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church members recently celebrated
his 22nd anniversary as pastor the historic church with family and friends at the American Serbian Hall in Detroit.
The Theme for the Event was: “Servant of God Living by faith, Producing Great Work for The Kingdom of God:”
Nehemiah 6:3

Mr. Johnson’s second wife
was Bettye Jean Williams and
they had a daughter and a son, Tonya Michelle Johnson and Brian Keith
Johnson.
He enjoyed many activities, including cooking,
doing home repairs and gardening, to name a few.
He had a special love for God and people.
Cherishing the memory of Cordozia Johnson, Jr.
are his wife, Bettye Johnson; children, John Johnson, Abdus Mohammad (formerly Terry Johnson),
Tonya Johnson and Brian Johnson; and many other
relatives and friends.
Swanson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.
Interment took place at Evergreen Cemetery.

Early Benjamin Winston
On Saturday, Aug. 26, services for Early Benjamin
Winston were held at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist
Church with Rev. Jeffrey D. Robinson officiating.
Mr. Winston passed away on Aug. 14, 2017.
Early Benjamin Winston was born to the union
of Callie Winston and Lula Jane Russell in Coatopa,
Alabama on March 31, 1928. Later,
he migrated to Detroit where he
attended Miller High School.
He married Mary Myrtle
Burrell in 1947, and after living in Buffalo, New York, they
returned to Detroit. They had
three children, Charlotte Earline, Marilyn Patricia and Tracye Erika. They later adopted
two boys, Adam Dewayne and
Jamey Odell, followed by two
more adoptions, William Macou
and James Andrews.
Mr. Winston’s employment history includes being
a “B” laborer, a foreman and then a supervisor of
three Detroit Department of Water and Sewage districts. In his latter years, he found pleasure in traveling and taking care of his lawn as well as his fruit
and vegetable garden.
Early Benjamin Wilson will be missed by many.
Arrangements were handled by Swanson Funeral
Home.
Interment took place at Mt. Hope Memorial Gardens.

Services for Frances Friend took place on Saturday,
Aug. 26, at Swanson Funeral Home,
eulogized by Elder Greg A. Sanders.
Mrs. Friend passed away on Aug.
26, 2017.
Mary Frances Friend was
born on Dec. 17, 1919 in Friar Port, Mississippi to William
and Minnie Jackson. Eventually she moved to Detroit where
she married J.C. Mobley and
gave birth to Minnie Mobley. She
worked at the Pullman Company
and, later, the Leland and Book Cadillac hotels.
Cherishing the memory of Frances Friend are her
daughter, Minnie Sanders, and many relatives and
friends.

Mt. Zion MBC hosts Pre-Women’s Day fashion show and luncheon
Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church kicked off its annual Women’s Day celebration with a spectacular
Pre-Women’s Day fashion event organized chairwoman Cristina Sims.
Mt. Zion MBC Ttrustee O’ Neil D, Swanson Sr. founder and CEO of Swanson Funeral Homes, Inc., was present
at the event held at the church at 3600 Van Dyke at Mack.

ing on Tuesday, Sept. 19,
and Bishop William Murphy will be speaking on
Sept. 26. Services will
start at 7 pm nightly. All
services will be held at
Greater New Mt. Moriah
Baptist Church located at
586 Owen St, Detroit.
For more information, please call (313)
­871-8025.

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